• Alginate microbeads are complement compatible, in contrast to polycation containing microcapsules, as revealed in a human whole blood model 

      Rokstad, Anne Mari; Brekke, Ole Lars; Steinkjer, Bjørg; Ryan, Liv; Kolláriková, Gabriela; Strand, Berit Løkensgard; Skjåk-Bræk, Gudmund; Lacík, Igor; Espevik, Terje; Mollnes, Tom Eirik (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2011)
      Alginate microbeads and microcapsules are presently under evaluation for future cell-based therapy. Defining their inflammatory properties with regard to humans is therefore essential. A lepirudine-based human whole blood model was used as an inflammation predictor by measuring complement and leukocyte stimulation. Alginate microbeads were complement-compatible since they did not activate complement ...
    • Cholesterol Crystals Induce coagulation Activation through Complement-Dependent Expression of Monocytic Tissue Factor 

      Gravastrand, Caroline S.; Steinkjer, Bjørg; Halvorsen, Bente; Landsem, Anne; Skjelland, Mona; Jacobsen, Eva Astrid; Woodruff, Trent M.; Lambris, John D.; Mollnes, Tom Eirik; Brekke, Ole-Lars; Espevik, Terje; Rokstad, Anne Mari (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-07-03)
      Cholesterol crystals (CC) are strong activators of complement and could potentially be involved in thromboinflammation through complement-coagulation cross-talk. To explore the coagulation-inducing potential of CC, we performed studies in lepirudin-based human whole blood and plasma models. In addition, immunohistological examinations of brain thrombi and vulnerable plaque material from patients ...
    • Liposomes - Human phagocytes interplay in whole blood: effect of liposome design 

      Giambelluca, Miriam Soledad; Markova, Elena; Louet, Claire; Steinkjer, Bjørg; Sundset, Rune; Skalko Basnet, Natasa; Hak, Sjoerd (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel, 2023-10-20)
      Nanomedicine holds immense potential for therapeutic manipulation of phagocytic immune cells. However, in vitro studies often fail to accurately translate to the complex in vivo environment. To address this gap, we employed an ex vivo human whole-blood assay to evaluate liposome interactions with immune cells. We systematically varied liposome size, PEG-surface densities and sphingomyelin and ...