Objetivo MACROIMAGING is a highly interdisciplinary project encompassing the preparation and optimisation of innovative fluorogenic imaging tools with high selectivity for metastasis-associated macrophages.The metastatic potential of tumours is defined by the tumour microenvironment (TM), where macrophages are the most abundant cells. However, the role of macrophages in the TM remains elusive mainly because of the lack of technologies to target these unique populations of cells in vivo. CD11b+ metastasis-associated macrophages are recruited by metastasing cancer cells. Their depletion reduces the number and size of metastasis, suggesting that their recruitment is essential for persistent growth of cancer cells. However, there is a need for imaging tools that report the localisation and cell fate of these macrophages to understand how they help tumour cells to progress in the TM.By means of Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry, libraries of cyclic peptides will be generated from individual tetrapeptides through reversible disulfide bonds. Governed by thermodynamics, DCC will amplify cyclic peptides showing high affinity for CD11b+ macrophage receptors, involved in the development of metastasis. This technique will supply specific cyclic peptides targeting CD11b. Click chemistry (i.e. CuAAC) will allow the conjugation of these peptides to macrophage-specific fluorophores to generate FLUOROMACS. FLUOROMACS will enable selective imaging of CD11b+ macrophages by means of receptor-mediated endocytosis. Selectivity will be confirmed in vitro using macrophages from normal cohorts and knockouts. Finally Fluoromacs will be optimised as in vivo imaging probes for metastasis-associated macrophages.In a nutshell, MACROIMAGING will provide the first generation of chemical probes for imaging metastasis-associated macrophages in vivo. This methodology will also have enormous impact in other areas of chemical biology, such as protein recognition, drug discovery and theranostics. Ámbito científico medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discoverymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesmedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologynatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryamines Programa(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Tema(s) MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Convocatoria de propuestas H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinador THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH Aportación neta de la UEn € 183 454,80 Dirección OLD COLLEGE, SOUTH BRIDGE EH8 9YL Edinburgh Reino Unido Ver en el mapa Región Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Participación en los programas de I+D de la UE Opens in new window Red de colaboración de HORIZON Opens in new window Coste total € 183 454,80