Martin Pelletier

Prof. Martin Pelletier is a regular researcher in the Infectious and Immune Diseases program at the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval and a Professor in the Department of Microbiology-Infectious Diseases and Immunology at Université Laval, with unique expertise in inflammation, innate immunity, and energy metabolism. His research program aims to determine the role of endogenous and exogenous factors involved in the activation, maintenance, and resolution of inflammation. Prof. Pelletier’s research team studies the environmental and host factors involved in the modulation of energy metabolism and the response of inflammatory cells to develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Metabolic mechanisms of pro-resolutive neutrophils in chronic inflammatory diseases

A human subpopulation of long-lived neutrophils involved in the resolution phase of inflammation has recently been identified. These cells exhibit many features distinct from their blood counterparts, including a unique metabolism associated with the expression of mitochondria-associated genes. This project proposes to characterize these long-lived neutrophils in terms of metabolism and their functional role in inflammatory diseases. Characterization and scheming neutrophils towards cells with a pro-resolution phenotype could represent new ways for clinical prediction and therapeutic intervention in chronic inflammatory diseases where neutrophils predominate.

Characterization of the effects of endocrine disruptors on the bioenergetic metabolism of inflammatory cells

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are chemical substances that can interfere with the proper functioning of the endocrine system, as well as being associated with cancer, obesity, and autoimmune diseases. These include organochlorine pesticides, herbicides, certain plasticizers (bisphenol A and phthalates), and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Due to their widespread use, these substances end up in the environment and are detected in human blood, urine, and tissue. A better understanding of the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the metabolism of inflammatory blood cells would help explain their immunomodulatory activities and how these substances may contribute to inflammation or increased susceptibility to infection.

Development of an assay to accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from auto-inflammatory syndromes

Auto-inflammatory syndromes are characterized by recurrent fevers, systemic inflammation, and hyperactive innate immune cells linked to abnormal cytokine secretion. Although inherited, mutations in suspected cases are detected in less than 20% of cases, and patients’ symptoms are reminiscent of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Although anti-cytokine treatments are available, they are sometimes ineffective since the identification of abnormally secreted cytokines in each patient is not examined, leading not only to inappropriate therapy but also to severe complications with significant socio-economic repercussions. Determining which cytokines are abnormally produced will speed up diagnosis and provide personalized treatment options for patients suffering from auto-inflammatory syndromes.