Anna Trier
Program: Immunology
Current advisor: Brian S. Kim, MD
Undergraduate university: Macalester College
Research summary
Neuroimmune interactions at barrier surfaces play an integral role in promoting host survival by mediating neurophysiological processes like peristalsis, cough and itch. However, the cellular and molecular pathways that govern the complex interactions between the nervous and immune system remain poorly defined. Recently, our lab has identified a previously unrecognized mechanism by which the canonical type two cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 regulate chronic itch through direct neuronal signaling. This has led us to identify new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of multiple chronic itch disorders and the initiation of phase 2 clinical trials. The focus of my research project is to expand our understanding of neuroimmunology by identifying additional molecular pathways essential for the regulation of itch and other physiologic processes.
Graduate publications
Tamari M, Del Bel KL, Ver Heul AM, Zamidar L, Orimo K, Hoshi M, Trier AM, Yano H, Yang TL, Biggs CM, Motomura K, Shibuya R, Yu CD, Xie Z, Iriki H, Wang Z, Auyeung K, Damle G, Demircioglu D, Gregory JK, Hasson D, Dai J, Chang RB, Morita H, Matsumoto K, Jain S, Van Dyken S, Milner JD, Bogunovic D, Hu H, Artis D, Turvey SE, Kim BS. 2024 Sensory neurons promote immune homeostasis in the lung. Cell, 187(1):44-61.e17.
Trier AM, Ver Heul AM, Fredman A, Le V, Wang Z, Auyeung K, Meixiong J, Lovato P, Holtzman MJ, Wang F, Dong X, Ji AL, Kim BS. 2024 IL-33 potentiates histaminergic itch. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 153(3):852-859.e3.
Trier AM, Kim BS. 2023 Insights into atopic dermatitis pathogenesis lead to newly approved systemic therapies. Br J Dermatol, 188(6):98-708.
Trier AM, Mack MR, Fredman A, Tamari M, Ver Heul AM, Zhao Y, Guo CJ, Avraham O, Ford ZK, Oetjen LK, Feng J, Dehner C, Coble D, Badic A, Joshita S, Kubo M, Gereau RW 4th, Alexander-Brett J, Cavalli V, Davidson S, Hu H, Liu Q, Kim BS. 2022 IL-33 Signaling in Sensory Neurons Promotes Dry Skin Itch. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 149(4):1473-1480.e6.
Ver Heul A, Fredman A, Trier A, Tamari M, Nguyen K, Kim B. (2022). Type 2 inflammation drives transcriptional remodeling of itch-sensory neurons. J Allergy Clin Immunol., Abstract.
Wang F, Trier AM, Li F, Kim S, Chen Z, Chai JN, Mack MR, Morrison SA, Hamilton JD, Baek J, Yang TB, Ver Heul AM, Xu AZ, Xie Z, Dong X, Kubo M, Hu H, Hsieh CS, Dong X, Liu Q, Margolis DJ, Ardeleanu M, Miller MJ, Kim BS. 2021 A basophil-neuronal axis promotes itch. Cell, 184(2):422-440.e17.
Mack MR, Brestoff JR, Berrien-Elliott MM, Trier AM, Yang TB, McCullen M, Collins PL, Niu H, Bodet ND, Wagner JA, Park E, Xu AZ, Wang F, Chibnall R, Council ML, Heffington C, Kreisel F, Margolis DJ, Sheinbein D, Lovato P, Vivier E, Cella M, Colonna M, Yokoyama WM, Oltz EM, Fehniger TA, Kim BS. 2020 Blood natural killer cell deficiency reveals an immunotherapy strategy for atopic dermatitis. Sci Transl Med, 12(532):eaay1005.
Guo CJ, Mack MR, Oetjen LK, Trier AM, Council ML, Pavel AB, Guttman-Yassky E, Kim BS, Liu Q. 2020 Kallikrein 7 Promotes Atopic Dermatitis-Associated Itch Independently of Skin Inflammation. J Invest Dermatol, 140(6):1244-1252.e4.
Trier AM, Mack MR, Kim BS. 2019 The Neuroimmune Axis in Skin Sensation, Inflammation, and Immunity. J Immunol, 202(10):2829-35.
Trier AM, Kim BS. 2018 Cytokine Modulation of Atopic Itch. Curr Opin Immunol, 54():7-12 (Review).
Oetjen LK, Mack MR, Feng J, Whelan TM, Niu H, Guo CJ, Chen S, Trier AM, Xu AZ, Tripathi SV, Luo J, Gao X, Yang L, Hamilton SL, et al. 2017 Sensory Neurons Co-opt Classical Immune Signaling Pathways to Mediate Chronic Itch. Cell, 171(1):217-228.e13.