Vlag, van der

Research follows two main lines: (i) Glomerular diseases; (ii) Transplantation immunology.
Research on glomerular diseases is aimed at unraveling the underlying molecular mechanisms of proteinuria, glomerular inflammation and sclerosis. Research focuses on the role of heparan sulfate at the structure-functional level and the glomerular endothelial glycocalyx. The development of anti-chromatin autoantibodies and lupus nephritis is another key interest, and focuses on the effects of apoptotic blebs and apoptosis-induced chromatin modifications on dendritic cells. Research on transplantation immunology focuses on the generation and characterization of tolerogenic dendritic cells, and the role of chemokines and heparan sulfate. All research in the Nephrology Research Laboratory is aimed to translate findings in new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for renal diseases.

Johan van der Vlag is associate professor in Experimental Nephrology and heads the Nephrology Research Laboratory of the department of Nephrology. He is theme leader of N4i theme "Autoimmunity and transplantation Biology". He is secretary of the scientific board of the Dutch Federation of Nephrology and Berlin visiting professor in Diabetes (2010).

• van Bavel CC, Dieker J, Muller S, Briand JP, Monestier M, Berden JH, van der Vlag J. Apoptosis-associated acetylation on histone H2B is an epitope for lupus
  autoantibodies. Mol Immunol. ;47:511-6, 2009. 

• van den Hoven MJ, Waanders F, Rops AL, Kramer AB, van Goor H, Berden JH, Navis G, van der Vlag J. Regulation of glomerular heparanase expression by aldosterone,
  angiotensin II and reactive oxygen species. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 24:2637-45, 2009.

• Fransen JH, Hilbrands LB, Ruben J, Stoffels M, Adema GJ, van der Vlag J, Berden JH. Mouse dendritic cells matured by ingestion of apoptotic blebs induce T cells to produce interleukin-17. Arthritis Rheum. 60:2304-13, 2009.

• Fransen JH, Hilbrands LB, Jacobs CW, Adema GJ, Berden JH, Van der Vlag J. Both early and late apoptotic blebs are taken up by DC and induce IL-6 production. Autoimmunity. 42:325-7, 2009.

• van den Hoven MJ, Wijnhoven TJ, Li JP, Zcharia E, Dijkman HB, Wismans RG, Rops AL, Lensen JF, van den Heuvel LP, van Kuppevelt TH, Vlodavsky I, Berden JH, van der Vlag J. Reduction of anionic sites in the glomerular basement membrane by heparanase does not lead to proteinuria. Kidney Int. 73:278-87, 2008.