![Anne-Catherine Raby](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/2549?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
Since my PhD studies, my research has centred on the mechanisms regulating inflammation, with particular interest to the activity of a family of immune sensors called Toll-like receptors (TLRs). These receptors play a critical role in the clearance of infection by initiating a prompt immune response to pathogens and are also important to the resolution of tissue damage following sterile injury. Dysregulation in TLR's activity has been found to be involved in many inflammatory pathologies. During my PhD, I characterised the activity of soluble TLR2, a naturally-occurring soluble form of TLR2 which we discovered, and demonstrated that it can reduce TLR activity, preventing excessive TLR-mediated inflammation.
Over the last few years, I have sought to apply my background knowledge and expertise to clinically relevant questions. Notably, we have proposed a TLR-based strategy to boost the immune response and help reduce the risk of secondary infections in immunosuppressed sepsis patients. More recently, my fellowship work has revealed the role of TLRs in mediating peritoneal membrane fibrosis in kidney disease patients on peritoneal dialysis, a condition which dramatically reduces the efficiency and duration of the dialysis treatment. I also demonstrated in vivo that soluble TLR2 could be used to prevent or reduce the occurrence of peritoneal fibrosis.
I have very recently been appointed a Lecturer to work within the Welsh Heart Research Institute (WHRI) and the Welsh Kidney Research Unit (WKRU) and study the inflammatory link between chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, again with particular interest to the role of TLRs.
Publication
2023
- Cetin, E. et al. 2023. Calprotectin blockade inhibits long-term vascular pathology following peritoneal dialysis-associated bacterial infection. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 13, article number: 1285193. (10.3389/fcimb.2023.1285193)
- Mazzarino, M. et al. 2023. Therapeutic targeting of chronic kidney disease-associated DAMPs differentially contributing to vascular pathology. Frontiers in Immunology 14, article number: 1240679. (10.3389/fimmu.2023.1240679)
2019
- Brook, A. C. et al. 2019. Neutrophil-derived miR-223 as local biomarker of bacterial peritonitis. Scientific Reports 9, article number: 10136. (10.1038/s41598-019-46585-y)
2018
- Raby, A. and Labeta, M. 2018. Preventing peritoneal dialysis-associated fibrosis by therapeutic blunting of peritoneal toll-like receptor activity. Frontiers in Physiology 9, article number: 1692. (10.3389/fphys.2018.01692)
- Raby, A., González-Mateo, G. T., Williams, A., Topley, N., Fraser, D., López-Cabrera, M. and Labeta, M. O. 2018. Targeting toll-like receptors with soluble toll-like receptor 2 prevents peritoneal dialysis solution-induced fibrosis. Kidney International 94(2), pp. 346-362. (10.1016/j.kint.2018.03.014)
2017
- Raby, A. et al. 2017. Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 are potential therapeutic targets in peritoneal dialysis-associated fibrosis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 28(2), pp. 461-478. (10.1681/ASN.2015080923)
- Holst, B., Szakmany, T., Raby, A., Hamlyn, V., Durno, K., Hall, J. E. and Labéta, M. O. 2017. Soluble toll-like receptor 2 is a biomarker for sepsis in critically ill patients with multi-organ failure within 12 h of ICU admission. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental 5(1) (10.1186/s40635-016-0116-z)
2016
- Raby, A. and Labeta, M. 2016. Therapeutic boosting of the immune response: turning to CD14 for help. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 17(5), pp. 414-418. (10.2174/1389201017666160114095708)
2014
- Shang, L. et al. 2014. Selective antibody intervention of toll-like receptor 4 activation through Fc γ receptor tethering. Journal of Biological Chemistry 289(22), pp. 15309-15318. (10.1074/jbc.M113.537936)
2013
- Raby, A. et al. 2013. Targeting the TLR co-receptor CD14 with TLR2-derived peptides modulates immune responses to pathogens. Science Translational Medicine 5(185), article number: 185ra64. (10.1126/scitranslmed.3005544)
2012
- Holst, B., Raby, A., Hall, J. E. and Labeta, M. O. 2012. Complement takes its Toll: an inflammatory crosstalk between Toll-like receptors and the receptors for the complement anaphylatoxin C5a. Anaesthesia 67(1), pp. 60-64. (10.1111/j.1365-2044.2011.07011.x)
2011
- Colmont, C. S. et al. 2011. Human peritoneal mesothelial cells respond to bacterial ligands through a specific subset of Toll-like receptors. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 26(12), pp. 4079-4090. (10.1093/ndt/gfr217)
- Raby, A. et al. 2011. TLR activation enhances C5a-induced pro-inflammatory responses by negatively modulating the second C5a receptor, C5L2. European Journal of Immunology 41(9), pp. 2741-2752. (10.1002/eji.201041350)
2009
- Raby, A. et al. 2009. Soluble TLR2 reduces inflammation without compromising bacterial clearance by disrupting TLR2 triggering. The Journal of Immunology 183(1), pp. 506-517. (10.4049/jimmunol.0802909)
2008
- Raby, A. 2008. Biochemical and functional study of the immunomodulatory capacity of the soluble form of human Toll-like receptor 2. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Articles
- Cetin, E. et al. 2023. Calprotectin blockade inhibits long-term vascular pathology following peritoneal dialysis-associated bacterial infection. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 13, article number: 1285193. (10.3389/fcimb.2023.1285193)
- Mazzarino, M. et al. 2023. Therapeutic targeting of chronic kidney disease-associated DAMPs differentially contributing to vascular pathology. Frontiers in Immunology 14, article number: 1240679. (10.3389/fimmu.2023.1240679)
- Brook, A. C. et al. 2019. Neutrophil-derived miR-223 as local biomarker of bacterial peritonitis. Scientific Reports 9, article number: 10136. (10.1038/s41598-019-46585-y)
- Raby, A. and Labeta, M. 2018. Preventing peritoneal dialysis-associated fibrosis by therapeutic blunting of peritoneal toll-like receptor activity. Frontiers in Physiology 9, article number: 1692. (10.3389/fphys.2018.01692)
- Raby, A., González-Mateo, G. T., Williams, A., Topley, N., Fraser, D., López-Cabrera, M. and Labeta, M. O. 2018. Targeting toll-like receptors with soluble toll-like receptor 2 prevents peritoneal dialysis solution-induced fibrosis. Kidney International 94(2), pp. 346-362. (10.1016/j.kint.2018.03.014)
- Raby, A. et al. 2017. Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 are potential therapeutic targets in peritoneal dialysis-associated fibrosis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 28(2), pp. 461-478. (10.1681/ASN.2015080923)
- Holst, B., Szakmany, T., Raby, A., Hamlyn, V., Durno, K., Hall, J. E. and Labéta, M. O. 2017. Soluble toll-like receptor 2 is a biomarker for sepsis in critically ill patients with multi-organ failure within 12 h of ICU admission. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental 5(1) (10.1186/s40635-016-0116-z)
- Raby, A. and Labeta, M. 2016. Therapeutic boosting of the immune response: turning to CD14 for help. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 17(5), pp. 414-418. (10.2174/1389201017666160114095708)
- Shang, L. et al. 2014. Selective antibody intervention of toll-like receptor 4 activation through Fc γ receptor tethering. Journal of Biological Chemistry 289(22), pp. 15309-15318. (10.1074/jbc.M113.537936)
- Raby, A. et al. 2013. Targeting the TLR co-receptor CD14 with TLR2-derived peptides modulates immune responses to pathogens. Science Translational Medicine 5(185), article number: 185ra64. (10.1126/scitranslmed.3005544)
- Holst, B., Raby, A., Hall, J. E. and Labeta, M. O. 2012. Complement takes its Toll: an inflammatory crosstalk between Toll-like receptors and the receptors for the complement anaphylatoxin C5a. Anaesthesia 67(1), pp. 60-64. (10.1111/j.1365-2044.2011.07011.x)
- Colmont, C. S. et al. 2011. Human peritoneal mesothelial cells respond to bacterial ligands through a specific subset of Toll-like receptors. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 26(12), pp. 4079-4090. (10.1093/ndt/gfr217)
- Raby, A. et al. 2011. TLR activation enhances C5a-induced pro-inflammatory responses by negatively modulating the second C5a receptor, C5L2. European Journal of Immunology 41(9), pp. 2741-2752. (10.1002/eji.201041350)
- Raby, A. et al. 2009. Soluble TLR2 reduces inflammation without compromising bacterial clearance by disrupting TLR2 triggering. The Journal of Immunology 183(1), pp. 506-517. (10.4049/jimmunol.0802909)
Thesis
- Raby, A. 2008. Biochemical and functional study of the immunomodulatory capacity of the soluble form of human Toll-like receptor 2. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Contact Details
RabyA@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29206 87324
Tenovus Building, Room 3F14, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
+44 29206 87324
Tenovus Building, Room 3F14, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN