Alexandre Prat, M.D.

Alexandre Prat is Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal. He directs the Neuroimmunology Laboratory at the CHUM Research Centre.

CONTACT

CHUM Research Centre
Notre-Dame Hospital,
Room Y-3608
1560 Sherbrooke Street East
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2L 4M1

Phone : 514-890-8000 ext. 24734
Fax : 514-412-7661
Email :a.prat@umontreal.ca

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Part of our research team focuses on the immunological roles of CD4+T helper lymphocytes in MS, the mechanisms of monocytes and lymphocyte migration across the BBB and the physiological regulation of the BBB by glial cells. Other members of the team study the role of novel tight junction molecules of the human BBB and the influence of glial cell factors on junction formation. We believe that a better knowledge of the molecular composition of the BBB will lead to the understanding of diseases such as MS, as well as to the discovery of novel routes for delivery of drugs and chemotherapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors.

STUDIED DISEASES

Our research focuses on the disease multiple sclerosis and on the general topic of cerebral Immunity.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Cayrol R, Wosik K, Dodelet-Devillers, A, Ifergan I, Kébir H, Haqqani A, Kreymborg K, Becher B, Stanimirovic D and Prat A. ALCAM promotes leukocyte infiltration to the CNS. Nat Immunol. 2008 Feb;9(2):137-45. Epub 2007 Dec 23.

Ifergan I, Kébir K, Bernard M, Wosik K, Dodelet-devillers A, Cayrol R,Arbour N and Prat A. The Blood-brain barrier induces differentiation of migrating monocytes into TH17 polarizing dendritic cells. Brain. 2008 Mar;131(Pt 3):785-99. Epub 2007 Dec 20

Kebir H, Kreymborg K, Ifergan I, Dodelet-Devillers A, Cayrol R, Bernard M, Giuliani F, Arbour N, Becher B, Prat A. Human TH17 lymphocytes promote blood-brain barrier disruption and central nervous system inflammation. Nature Medicine 2007; DOI: 10.1038/nm1651

Wosik K, Cayrol R, Dodelet-Devillers A, Berthelet F, Bernard M, Moumdjian R, Bouthillier A, Reudelhuber TL, Prat A. Angiotensin II controls occludin function and is required for blood brain barrier maintenance: relevance to multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci. 2007; 27:9032-9042

Wosik K, Biernacki K, Khouzam MP, Prat A. Death receptor expression and function at the human blood brain barrier. J Neurol Sci. 2007; 259:53-60

Ifergan I, Wosik K, Cayrol R, Kébir H, Auger C, Bernard M, Bouthillier A, Moumdjian R, Duquette P, Prat A. Statins reduce human blood-brain barrier permeability and restrict leukocyte migration: relevance to multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 2006; 60:45-55

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