Dr Neil Dufton
Lecturer in Inflammatory Sciences
The William Harvey Research Institute
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Endothelial to mesenchymal transition, Vascular biology, Endothelial heterogeneity, Liver fibrosis, NASH
Interests
My lab is interested in determining the role of vascular heterogeneity in health and disease. During chronic fibrotic disease, such as heart failure and liver cirrhosis, vascular endothelial cells undergo drastic changes, disrupting tissue-specific vascular patterning and leading to vascular and tissue dysfunction. Our research has revealed that a process termed endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a central mediator of the endothelial plasticity associated with fibrosis. We have successfully developed novel reporters that enable us to track and assess EndMT occurring in real-time. Using Liver-On-A-Chip platforms we have shown dynamic behaviours of EndMT cells for the first time in models of liver fibrosis and NASH-like microenvironments (Whiteford et al., 2022). We aim to apply our EndMT reporters to develop tissue and disease-specific Organ-On-A-Chip drug screening platforms that can identify new therapeutic approaches to reverse vascular dysfunction and fibrosis.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models2023
Schafer CM, Martin-Almedina S, Kurylowicz K, Dufton N, Osuna-Almagro L, Wu M-L, Johnson CF, Shah AV, Haskard DO, Buxton A, Willis E, Wheeler K, Turner S, Chlebicz M, Scott RP, Kovats S, Cleuren A, Birdsey GM, Randi AM and Griffin CT (2023). Cytokine-Mediated Degradation of the Transcription Factor ERG Impacts the Pulmonary Vascular Response to Systemic Inflammatory Challenge. Wolters Kluwer Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology vol. 43, (8) 1412-1428. Gkantsinikoudi C, Rot A, Alazawi W and Dufton N (2023). OS-043 Atypical Chemokine receptors regulate the induction of ‘disease-associated’ LSEC by modulating Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EndMT) during liver fibrosis. Elsevier Journal of Hepatology vol. 78, 2022
Ward EJ, Bert S, Fanti S, Malone KM, Maughan RT, Gkantsinikoudi C, Prin F, Volpato LK, Piovezan AP, Graham GJ, Dufton NP, Perretti M, Marelli-Berg FM and Nadkarni S (2022). Placental Inflammation Leads to Abnormal Embryonic Heart Development. Wolters Kluwer Circulation vol. 147, (12) 956-972. Gomez-Salinero JM, Itkin T, Houghton S, Badwe C, Lin Y, Kalna V, Dufton N, Peghaire CR, Yokoyama M, Wingo M, Lu TM, Li G, Xiang JZ, Hsu Y-MS, Redmond D, Schreiner R, Birdsey GM, Randi AM and Rafii S (2022). Cooperative ETS transcription factors enforce adult endothelial cell fate and cardiovascular homeostasis. Springer Nature Nature Cardiovascular Research vol. 1, (10) 882-899. 
Whiteford J, Arokiasamy S, Thompson C, Alazawi W and Dufton N (2022). FRI198 Investigating the function of Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal transition during liver fibrogenesis using a Liver-On-A-Chip platform. Elsevier Journal of Hepatology vol. 77, Whiteford J, Arokiasamy S, Thompson CL and Dufton NP (2022). Novel application of live imaging to determine the functional cell biology of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) within a liver-on-a-chip platform. Springer Nature In vitro models vol. 1, (6) 413-421. 2020
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) 2019
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. Springer Nature Nature Communications vol. 10, (1) 2018
Issitt T, Bosseboeuf E, De Winter N, Dufton N, Gestri G, Senatore V, Chikh A, Randi AM and Raimondi C (2018). Neuropilin-1 Controls Endothelial Homeostasis by Regulating Mitochondrial Function and Iron-Dependent Oxidative Stress. Elsevier iScience vol. 11, 205-223. 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. 2017
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 (2017). Dynamic regulation of canonical TGFβ signalling by endothelial transcription factor ERG protects from liver fibrogenesis. Springer Nature Nature Communications vol. 8, (1) Perbellini 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 (2017). Investigation of cardiac fibroblasts using myocardial slices. Oxford University Press (OUP) Cardiovascular Research vol. 114, (1) 77-89. Shah 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. Springer Nature Nature Communications vol. 8, (1) 2016
Beuerle MG, Dufton NP, Randi AM and Gould IR (2016). Molecular dynamics studies on the DNA-binding process of ERG. Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Molecular Omics vol. 12, (12) 3600-3610. 2015
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. Elsevier Developmental Cell vol. 32, (1) 82-96. 2012
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 A4 in Individuals with Ulcerative Colitis May Promote Mucosal Homeostasis. PLOS ONE vol. 7, (6) 2011
Dufton N, Hannon R, Brancaleone V, Dalli J, Patel HB, Gray M, D'Acquisto F, Buckingham JC, Perretti M and Flower RJ (2011). Corrections: Anti-Inflammatory Role of the Murine Formyl-Peptide Receptor 2: Ligand-Specific Effects on Leukocyte Responses and Experimental Inflammation. The American Association of Immunologists The Journal of Immunology vol. 186, (4) 2684-2685. 2010
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. Dufton N and Perretti M (2010). Therapeutic anti-inflammatory potential of formyl-peptide receptor agonists. Pharmacol Ther vol. 127, (2) 175-188. Dufton N, Hannon R, Brancaleone V, Dalli J, Patel HB, Gray M, D'Acquisto F, Buckingham JC, Perretti M and Flower RJ (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. Yazid 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. 2009
Dufton 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. Springer Nature Inflammation Research vol. 58, (Suppl 2) s252-s255. Maione F, Paschalidis N, Mascolo N, Dufton N, Perretti M and D'Acquisto F (2009). Interleukin 17 sustains rather than induces inflammation. Biochem Pharmacol vol. 77, (5) 878-887. Grants
Atypical Chemokine Receptors orchestrate changes in vascular patterning during fibrotic liver disease via Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.Neil Dufton, William Alazawi and Antal Rot
£610,383 MRC Medical Research Council (08-05-2024 - 07-05-2027)
Role of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in regulating immune cell recruitment during fibrosisNeil Dufton
£41,859 Royal Society (01-03-2024 - 31-08-2025)
Investigating the therapeutic potential of disease-associated endothelial cells in liver diseaseNeil Dufton and William Alazawi
£35,000 Barts and the London Charity (02-03-2020 - 30-04-2022)