About
Introduction
The research focus is on translational medicine in the field of airway disease and includes the investigation of upper and lower airway animal models for allergic asthma as well as human research. Several conceptual translational drugs were successfully tested in the context of sphingosine phosphates (FTY720), notch signaling (SAHM1) and phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3. Regarding the current investigation topics he is investigating the role of PDE3 in T cells, mast cells, basophils and other myeoloid cells in in vivo and in vitro models. The research involves complementary basic and translational studies. In addition, research interests include other inflammatory disorders, such as sarcoidosis, whereby there is a focus on T cell biology in this disease.
Education and career
During his PhD research Alex KleinJan worked in the field of allergy (titel PhD thesis: Allergic Rhinitis is a local disease; the Role of Local IgE Production, Basophils and Mast Cells; supervision: prof. Wytske J. Fokkens). We were the first that discovered the presence of specific IgE producing plasmacells cells in the nasal mucosa. In addition, we confirmed that mast cells, basophils and dendritic cells bear specific IgE molecules on their cell surfaces in the nasal mucosa. Due to this observation we approved that all relevant cells for allergic airway inflammation are present in the shock organ. He joined the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Erasmus MC Rotterdam in 2002.
Publications
- Beute J, Lukkes M, Koekoek EP, Nastiti H, Ganesh K, de Bruijn MJ, Hockman S, van Nimwegen M, Braunstahl GJ, Boon L, Lambrecht BN, Manganiello VC, Hendriks RW, KleinJan A (2018). A pathophysiological role of PDE3 in allergic airway inflammation.
JCI Insight. 3(2). - KleinJan A, Tindemans I, Montgomery JE, Lukkes M, de Bruijn MJW, van Nimwegen M, Bergen I, Moellering RE, Hoogsteden HC, Boon L, Amsen D, Hendriks RW (2018). The Notch pathway inhibitor stapled α-helical peptide derived from mastermind-like 1 (SAHM1) abrogates the hallmarks of allergic asthma.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 142(1):76-85.e8. - Tindemans I, Lukkes M, de Bruijn MJW, Li BWS, van Nimwegen M, Amsen D, KleinJan A, Hendriks RW (2017). Notch signaling in T cells is essential for allergic airway inflammation, but expression of the Notch ligands Jagged 1 and Jagged 2 on dendritic cells is dispensable.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 140(4):1079-1089. - KleinJan A (2016). Airway inflammation in asthma: key players beyond the Th2 pathway.
Curr Opin Pulm Med. 22(1):46-52. - Ten Berge B, Paats MS, Bergen IM, van den Blink B, Hoogsteden HC, Lambrecht BN, Hendriks RW, Kleinjan A (2012). Increased IL-17A expression in granulomas and in circulating memory T cells in sarcoidosis.
Rheumatology (Oxford). 51(1):37-46.
