Dr Neil Dufton
PhDLecturer in Inflammatory Sciences
The William Harvey Research Institute
School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London
n.dufton@qmul.ac.ukSchool of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London
Research
Endothelial to mesenchymal transition, Vascular biology, Endothelial heterogeneity, Liver fibrosis, NASH
Interests
I am interested in developing an in vitro platform to understand the dynamic changes that occur during endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and its role in regulating the tissue micro-environment. EndMT, which plays a central role in driving vascular dysfunction, is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic diseases including liver fibrosis, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. I would like develop an imaging platform that will allow me understand key stages of endothelial transition and the plasticity of the mesenchymal-derived cells to determine if EndMT can be used as a therapeutic target to reverse vascular dysfunction.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models2020
Dufton NP, Peghaire CR, Osuna-Almagro L, Raimondi C, Kalna V, Chauhan A, Webb G, Yang Y, Birdsey GM, Lalor P, Mason JC, Adams DH and Randi AM (2020). Author Correction: Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signalling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis (Nature Communications, (2017), 8, 1, (895), 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-0). Nature Communications vol. 11, (1) 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-02019
Peghaire C, Dufton NP, Lang M, Salles-Crawley II, Ahnström J, Kalna V, Raimondi C, Pericleous C, Inuabasi L, Kiseleva R, Muzykantov VR, Mason JC, Birdsey GM and Randi AM (2019). The transcription factor ERG regulates a low shear stress-induced anti-thrombotic pathway in the microvasculature. Nature Communications vol. 10, (1) 10.1038/s41467-019-12897-wIssitt T, Bosseboeuf E, De Winter N, Dufton N, Gestri G, Senatore V, Chikh A, Randi AM and Raimondi C (2019). Neuropilin-1 Controls Endothelial Homeostasis by Regulating Mitochondrial Function and Iron-Dependent Oxidative Stress. Iscience vol. 11, 205-223. 10.1016/j.isci.2018.12.0052018
Nowak-Sliwinska P, Alitalo K, Allen E, Anisimov A, Aplin AC, Auerbach R, Augustin HG, Bates DO, van Beijnum JR, Bender RHF, Bergers G, Bikfalvi A, Bischoff J, Böck BC, Brooks PC, Bussolino F, Cakir B, Carmeliet P, Castranova D, Cimpean AM, Cleaver O, Coukos G, Davis GE, De Palma M, Dimberg A, Dings RPM, Djonov V, Dudley AC, Dufton NP and Fendt SM (2018). Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays. Angiogenesis vol. 21, (3) 425-532. 10.1007/s10456-018-9613-xPerbellini F, Watson SA, Scigliano M, Alayoubi S, Tkach S, Bardi I, Quaife N, Kane C, Dufton NP, Simon A, Sikkel MB, Faggian G, Randi AM, Gorelik J, Harding SE and Terracciano CM (2018). Investigation of cardiac fibroblasts using myocardial slices. Cardiovascular Research vol. 114, (1) 77-89. 10.1093/cvr/cvx1522017
Dufton NP, Peghaire CR, Osuna-Almagro L, Raimondi C, Kalna V, Chuahan A, Webb G, Yang Y, Birdsey GM, Lalor P, Mason JC, Adams DH and Randi AM (2017). Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signalling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis. Nature Communications vol. 8, (1) 10.1038/s41467-017-01169-0Shah AV, Birdsey GM, Peghaire C, Pitulescu ME, Dufton NP, Yang Y, Weinberg I, Osuna Almagro L, Payne L, Mason JC, Gerhardt H, Adams RH and Randi AM (2017). The endothelial transcription factor ERG mediates Angiopoietin-1-dependent control of Notch signalling and vascular stability. Nature Communications vol. 8, 10.1038/ncomms160022016
Beuerle MG, Dufton NP, Randi AM and Gould IR (2016). Molecular dynamics studies on the DNA-binding process of ERG. Molecular Biosystems vol. 12, (12) 3600-3610. 10.1039/c6mb00506c2015
Birdsey GM, Shah AV, Dufton N, Reynolds LE, Almagro LO, Yang Y, Aspalter IM, Khan ST, Mason JC, Dejana E, Göttgens B, Hodivala-Dilke K, Gerhardt H, Adams RH and Randi AM (2015). The endothelial transcription factor erg promotes vascular stability and growth through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Developmental Cell vol. 32, (1) 82-96. 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.11.0162012
Vong L, Ferraz JGP, Dufton N, Panaccione R, Beck PL, Sherman PM, Perretti M and Wallace JL (2012). Up-Regulation of Annexin-A1 and Lipoxin A(4) in Individuals with Ulcerative Colitis May Promote Mucosal Homeostasis. Plos One vol. 7, (6) 10.1371/journal.pone.00392442011
(2011). Anti-inflammatory role of the murine formyl-peptide receptor 2: Ligand-specific effects on leukocyte responses and experimental in-flammation (The Journal of Immunology (2010) 184, (2611-2619)). Journal of Immunology vol. 186, (4) 2684-2685. 10.4049/jimmunol.10901392010
Maderna P, Cottell DC, Toivonen T, Dufton N, Dalli J, Perretti M and Godson C (2010). FPR2/ALX receptor expression and internalization are critical for lipoxin A4 and annexin-derived peptide-stimulated phagocytosis. Faseb J vol. 24, (11) 4240-4249. 10.1096/fj.10-159913Dufton N and Perretti M (2010). Therapeutic anti-inflammatory potential of formyl-peptide receptor agonists. Pharmacol Ther vol. 127, (2) 175-188. 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2010.04.010Yazid S, Ayoub SS, Solito E, McArthur S, Vo P, Dufton N and Flower RJ (2010). Anti-allergic drugs and the Annexin-A1 system. Pharmacol Rep vol. 62, (3) 511-517. 10.1016/s1734-1140(10)70307-8 (2010). Anti-inflammatory role of the murine formyl-peptide receptor 2: ligand-specific effects on leukocyte responses and experimental inflammation. J Immunol vol. 184, (5) 2611-2619. 10.4049/jimmunol.09035262009
(2009). Interleukin 17 sustains rather than induces inflammation. Biochem Pharmacol vol. 77, (5) 878-887. 10.1016/j.bcp.2008.11.011Dufton NP, Hannon R, Perretti M and Flower R (2009). Quantitative Analysis of Promoter Activity by Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) Target/Reporter Strategy in a Novel Transgenic alx/fpr-rs2 Null Mouse. Inflammation Research vol. 58, (2) S252-S255. 10.1007/BF03354231