Mohammad Afzal Khan

Dr. Mohammad Afzal Khan

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

12Years (2015-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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22 July 2015 in Journal of Biomedical Science
Verified
Journal Article
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MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
AAA. M. Assiri
A. M. Assiri
DBD. C. Broering
D. C. Broering
The complement system, which contains some of the most potent pro-inflammatory mediators in the tissue including the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a are the vital parts of innate immunity. Complement activation seems to play a more critical role in tumor development, but little attention has been given to the angiogenic balance of the activated complement mediators and macrophage polarization during tumor progression. The tumor growth mainly supported by the infiltration of M2- tumor-associated macrophages, and high levels of C3a and C5a, whereas M1-macrophages contribute to immune-mediated tumor suppression. Macrophages express a cognate receptors for both C3a and C5a on their cell surface, and specific binding of C3a and C5a affects the functional modulation and angiogenic properties. Activation of complement mediators induce angiogenesis, favors an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and activate cancer-associated signaling pathways to assist chronic inflammation. In this review manuscript, we highlighted the specific roles of complement activation and macrophage polarization during uncontrolled angiogenesis in tumor progression, and therefore blocking of complement mediators would be an alternative therapeutic option for treating cancer.

2 December 2020 in Journal of Translational Medicine
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Journal Article
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MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lung airway network, which is initiated and perpetuated by allergen-specific CD4+T cells, IgE antibodies, and a massive release of Th2 cytokines. The most common clinical manifestations of asthma progression include airway inflammation, pathological airway tissue and microvascular remodeling, which leads to airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and reversible airway obstruction. In addition to inflammatory cells, a tiny population of Regulatory T cells (Tregs) control immune homeostasis, suppress allergic responses, and participate in the resolution of inflammation-associated tissue injuries. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated a tremendous therapeutic potential of Tregs in allergic airway disease, which plays a crucial role in immunosuppression, and rejuvenation of inflamed airways. These findings supported to harness the immunotherapeutic potential of Tregs to suppress airway inflammation and airway microvascular reestablishment during the progression of the asthma disease. This review addresses the therapeutic impact of Tregs and how Treg mediated immunomodulation plays a vital role in subduing the development of airway inflammation, and associated airway remodeling during the onset of disease.

23 September 2019 in Stem Cell Research & Therapy
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Journal Article
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MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
FAFatimah Alanazi
Fatimah Alanazi
HAHala Abdalrahman Ahmed
Hala Abdalrahman Ahmed
TSTalal Shamma
Talal Shamma
KKKilian Kelly
Kilian Kelly
DBDieter Broering
Dieter Broering
Background: Lung transplantation is a life-saving surgical replacement of diseased lungs in patients with end-stage respiratory malfunctions. Despite remarkable short-term recovery, long-term lung survival continues to face several major challenges, including chronic rejection and severe toxic side effects due to global immunosuppression. Stem cell-based immunotherapy has been recognized as a crucial immunoregulatory regimen in various preclinical and clinical studies. Despite initial therapeutic outcomes, conventional stem cells face key limitations. The novel Cymerus™ manufacturing facilitates production of a virtually limitless supply of consistent human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived mesenchymal stem cells, which could play a key role in selective immunosuppression and graft repair during rejection.Methods: Here, we demonstrated the impact of iPSC-derived human MSCs on the development of immune tolerance and long-term graft survival in mouse orthotopic airway allografts. BALB/c → C57BL/6 allografts were reconstituted with iPSC-derived MSCs (2 million/transplant/at d0), and allografts were examined for regulatory T cells (Tregs), oxygenation, microvascular blood flow, airway epithelium, and collagen deposition during rejection.Results: We demonstrated that iPSC-derived MSC treatment leads to significant increases in hTSG-6 protein, followed by an upregulation of mouse Tregs and IL-5, IL-10, and IL-15 cytokines, which augments graft microvascular blood flow and oxygenation, and thereby maintained a healthy airway epithelium and prevented the subepithelial deposition of collagen at d90 post transplantation.Conclusions: Collectively, these data confirmed that iPSC-derived MSC-mediated immunosuppression has potential to establish immune tolerance and rescue allograft from sustained hypoxic/ischemic phase, and subsequently limits long-term airway epithelial injury and collagen progression, which therapeutically warrant a study of Cymerus iPSC-derived MSCs as a potential management option for immunosuppression in transplant recipients.

20 August 2015 in Journal of Translational Medicine
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Journal Article
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MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
AAAbdullah Mohammed Assiri
Abdullah Mohammed Assiri
DBDieter Broering
Dieter Broering
The complement mediators are the major effectors of the immune balance, which operates at the interface between the innate and adaptive immunity, and is vital for many immunoregulatory functions. Activation of the complement cascade through the classical, alternative or lectin pathways thus generating opsonins like C3b and C5b, anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a, chemotaxin, and inflammatory mediators, which leads to cellular death. Complement mediators that accelerate the airway remodeling are not well defined; however, an uncontrolled Th2-driven adaptive immune response has been linked to the major pathophysiologic features of asthma, including bronchoconstriction, airway hyperresponsiveness, and airway inflammation. The mechanisms leading to complement mediated airway tissue remodeling, and the effect of therapy on preventing and/or reversing it are not clearly understood. This review highlights complement-mediated inflammation, and the mechanism through it triggers the airway tissue injury and remodeling in the airway epithelium that could serve as potential targets for developing a new drug to rescue the asthma patients.

31 March 2020 in Journal of Translational Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
TSTalal Shamma
Talal Shamma
SKShadab Kazmi
Shadab Kazmi
AAAbdullah Altuhami
Abdullah Altuhami
HAHala Abdalrahman Ahmed
Hala Abdalrahman Ahmed
DBDieter Broering
Dieter Broering
Background: Complement Regulatory Proteins (CRPs), especially CD55 primarily negate complement factor 3-mediated injuries and maintain tissue homeostasis during complement cascade activation. Complement activation and regulation during alloimmune inflammation contribute to allograft injury and therefore we proposed to investigate a crucial pathological link between vascular expression of CD55, active-C3, T cell immunity and associated microvascular tissue injuries during allograft rejection. Methods: Balb/c→C57BL/6 allografts were examined for microvascular deposition of CD55, C3d, T cells, and associated tissue microvascular impairments during rejection in mouse orthotopic tracheal transplantation. Results: Our findings demonstrated that hypoxia-induced early activation of HIF-1α favors a cell-mediated inflammation (CD4+, CD8+, and associated proinflammatory cytokines, IL-2 and TNF-α), which proportionally triggers the downregulation of CRP-CD55, and thereby augments the uncontrolled release of active-C3, and Caspase-3 deposition on CD31+ graft vascular endothelial cells. These molecular changes are pathologically associated with microvascular deterioration (low tissue O2 and Blood flow) and subsequent airway epithelial injuries of rejecting allografts as compared to non-rejecting syngrafts. Conclusion: Together, these findings establish a pathological correlation between complement dysregulation, T cell immunity, and microvascular associated injuries during alloimmune inflammation in transplantation.

1 January 2017 in Clinical Immunology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
MKMohammad Afzal Khan
Mohammad Afzal Khan
FAFatimah Alanazi
Fatimah Alanazi
HAHala Abdalrahman Ahmed
Hala Abdalrahman Ahmed
FAFalah Hassan Almohanna
Falah Hassan Almohanna
AAAbdullah Mohammed Assiri
Abdullah Mohammed Assiri
DBDieter Broering
Dieter Broering