Anne Mari A. Rokstad
Anne Mari A. Rokstad
Associate professor in human toxicology
Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesBackground and activities
Inflammation, the body’s natural process in early defense of foreign invaders or in endogenous processes as wound healing, is increasingly recognized as an essential player in disease. Behind an inflammatory process are cellular and protein players communicating in complex ways. Depending on the disturbance, different cellular or protein might be involved. To understand these systems could help us develop new treatment points and strategies in the fights against various diseases for improved health and wellbeing.
One major focus of my research is to determine the inflammatory mechanisms of exogenous and endogenous materials. More explained, the exogenous materials are externally derived as transplantation devices, wound healing materials or nano- and microparticles. The endogenous materials are produced by the body itself and often involved in promoting disease. An example is cholesterol crystals formed in atherosclerotic plaques. Recently we demonstrated that cholesterol crystals are promoting thromboinflammation, and thus are active players in thrombosis. Despite different materials, they all impact the immune system through common and specific mechanistic pathways. By revealing the underlying mechanisms new treatment possibilities can be determined. The overall aim by this research is understanding the inflammatory/immune system at the intersection of materials exposure and use this knowledge for improving our health.
Inflammation is an underlying factor in obesity related disease, and the immune system and metabolic system are interrelated. Revealing connections between obesity and inflammation could open for new understanding in treatment. Connected to Centre for Obesity and Innovation (ObeCe) at St. Olav’s hospital, we explore how calorie restriction diet/weight reduction impact low-degree inflammation and thromboinflammation.
I am a part of the NTNU health team "Tailored biomaterials for reduced immune responses" that are currently developing/exploring new materials alongside mechanisms understanding. I am also a part of a global network of researchers with the overall goal of developing long-term sustainable (fibrosis-free) biodevices in cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes.
Scientific, academic and artistic work
Displaying a selection of activities. See all publications in the database
Journal publications
- (2022) Sulfated alginate reduces pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth on encapsulated cGMP-compliant hPSC-hepatocytes in mice. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. vol. 9.
- (2021) Pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth mitigated in immunocompetent mice through microbead formulations based on sulfated or intermediate G alginates. Acta Biomaterialia. vol. 137.
- (2020) Cholesterol crystals use complement to increase NLRP3 signaling pathways in coronary and carotid atherosclerosis. EBioMedicine. vol. 60:102985.
- (2019) Cholesterol Crystals Induce coagulation Activation through Complement-Dependent Expression of Monocytic Tissue Factor. Journal of Immunology. vol. 203 (4).
- (2019) Ultrapure Wood Nanocellulose - Assessments of Coagulation and Initial Inflammation Potential. ACS Applied Bio Materials (AABM). vol. 2 (3).
- (2018) Alginate encapsulation as long-term immune protection of allogeneic pancreatic islet cells transplanted into the omental bursa of macaques. Nature Biomedical Engineering. vol. 2.
- (2018) Structural characterization of fucoidan from Laminaria hyperborea: Assessment of coagulation and inflammatory properties and their structure−function relationship. ACS Applied Bio Materials (AABM). vol. 1 (6).
- (2017) Alginate microbeads are coagulation compatible, while alginate microcapsules activate coagulation secondary to complement or directly through FXII. Acta Biomaterialia. vol. 58.
- (2017) In Vitro and In Vivo Biocompatibility Evaluation of Polyallylamine and Macromolecular Heparin Conjugates Modified Alginate Microbeads. Scientific Reports. vol. 7 (11695).
- (2017) Iron oxide nanoparticles induce cytokine secretion in a complement-dependent manner in a human whole blood model. International Journal of Nanomedicine. vol. 12.
- (2016) Sulfated alginate microspheres associate with factor H and dampen the inflammatory cytokine response. Acta Biomaterialia. vol. 42.
- (2016) Producing ultrapure wood cellulose nanofibrils and evaluating the cytotoxicity using human skin cells. Carbohydrate Polymers. vol. 150.
- (2016) Alginate microsphere compositions dictate different mechanisms of complement activation with consequences for cytokine release and leukocyte activation. Journal of Controlled Release. vol. 229.
- (2015) Reconstituted high-density lipoprotein attenuates cholesterol crystal-induced inflammatory responses by reducing complement activation. Journal of Immunology. vol. 195 (1).
- (2015) RGD-peptide modified alginate by a chemoenzymatic strategy for tissue engineering applications. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part A. vol. 103 (3).
- (2014) Advances in biocompatibility and physico-chemical characterization of microspheres for cell encapsulation. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. vol. 67-68.
- (2013) Alginate Microencapsulation of Human Islets Does Not Increase Susceptibility to Acute Hypoxia. Experimental Diabetes Research. vol. 2013.
- (2013) The induction of cytokines by polycation containing microspheres by a complement dependent mechanism. Biomaterials. vol. 34 (3).
- (2013) Biocompatibility and Biotolerability Assessment of Microspheres Using a Whole Blood Model. Micro and Nanosystems. vol. 5 (3).
- (2012) Poly-cation containing alginate microcapsules induce cytokines by a complement-dependent mechanism. Immunobiology. vol. 217 (11).
- (2012) Microencapsulation of small intestinal neuroendocrine neoplasm cells for tumor model studies. Cancer Science. vol. 103 (7).
- (2011) Alginate microbeads are complement compatible, in contrast to polycation containing microcapsules, as revealed in a human whole blood model. Acta Biomaterialia. vol. 7 (6).