Associate Professor Veronique Angeli

Research Interest

Lymphedema pathophysiology and treatment

With the advancement in cancer treatment, the number of cancer survivors is rising especially for breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. But the quality of life of breast cancer survivors can be markedly impacted by the development of limb swelling, a condition known as secondary lymphedema (LE). Secondary LE is the clinical manifestation of impaired lymphatic transport caused by the removal or damage of lymphatic vessels and/or lymph nodes as part of cancer treatment. There is no cure for this underestimated, chronic and debilitating condition. With 20 years’ experience in lymphatic vessel biology, we undertook a study in collaboration with Prof Tan Bien Keem, senior consultant at SGH, to decipher the pathophysiology of LE which remains poorly understood. Our ultimate goal is to identify and validate new therapeutic targets in preclinical model for the treatment of lymphedema. Besides researching on lymphatic vessels, we are actively involved in bringing awareness about lymphedema and other lymphatic diseases in Singapore and around the world (visit our website).

Physiological functions of tissue-resident macrophages

In the last decade, the non-immunological functions of tissue-resident macrophages have emerged. We are following-up on our discovery of a unique population of tissue- resident macrophage expressing Lyve-1 capable of controlling tissue collagen deposition at steady state by evaluating their contribution in vascular diseases and ageing and their homeostatic functions across diverse tissues. We believe that this project will improve our understanding of the regulation of tissue homeostasis by macrophages and open the ways to promising new therapeutic strategies for fibrosis, wounds and skin ageing.

Awards

• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Faculty Research Excellence Award 2022

Society Memberships

• Singapore Society of Immunology (Council Member)
• Lymphedema Society of Singapore (Member)

Recent Publications

1. Teh YC, Chooi MY, Liu D, Kwok I, Lai GC, Ayub Ow Yong L, Ng M, Li JLY, Tan Y, Evrard M, Tan L, Liong KH, Leong K, Goh CC, Chan AYJ, Shadan NB, Mantri CK, Hwang YY, Cheng H, Cheng T, Yu W, Tey HL, Larbi A, St John A, Angeli V, Ruedl C, Lee B, Ginhoux F, Chen SL, Ng LG, Ding JL, Chong SZ. Transitional premonocytes emerge in the periphery for host defense against bacterial infections. Sci Adv. 2022 Mar 4;8(9):eabj4641. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj4641. Epub 2022 Mar 4
2. Yeo KP, Thiam CH, T Ya, See WQ, Koh XH, Phua ML, A Balachander, Lim HY, Azhar SH, Tan QH, Lim SY, Tan Y, Chew HS, Ng LG, V Angeli. Efficient aortic lymphatic drainage is necessary for atherosclerosis ezetimibe-induced regression. 2020. Sci Adv. Dec 11;6(50):eabc2697. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abc2697. Print 2020 Dec
3. Azhar SH, Lim HY, Tan BK, Angeli V. The unresolved pathophysiology of Lymphedema. Front Physiol. 2020 Mar 17;11:137. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00137. eCollection 2020
4. Svetoslav C, Hwee YL, L Tan, SY Lim, P See, J Lum, Zhang XM, SH Foo, S Nakamizo, Duan KB, WT Kong, R Gentek, A Balachander, D Carbajo, C Bleriot, B Malleret, J KC Tam, S Baig, Muhammad S, SA ES Toh, A Schlitzer, A Larbi, T Marichal, B Malissen, JM Chen, M Poidinger, K Kabashima, M Bajenoff, LG Ng, V Angeli and F Ginhoux. Two distinct interstitial macrophage populations coexist across tissues in unique subtissular niches. Science 2019 Mar 15, 363 eaau0964. DOI: 10.1126/science.aau0964
5. Lim HY, Lim SY, Tan CK, Thiam CH, Goh CC, Carbajo D, Chew SHS, See P, Chakarov S, Wang XN, Lim LH, Johnson LA, Lum J, Fong CY, Bongso A, Biswas A, Goh C, Evrard M, Yeo KP, Basu R, Wang JK, Tan Y, Jain R, Tikoo S, Choong C, Weninger W, Poidinger M, Stanley RE, Collin M, Tan NS, Ng LG, Jackson DG, Ginhoux F, Angeli V. Hyaluronan Receptor LYVE-1-Expressing Macrophages Maintain Arterial Tone through Hyaluronan-Mediated Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Collagen. Immunity. 2018 Aug 21;49(2):326-341.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.06.008. Epub 2018 Jul 24.
6. HY Lim, CH Thiam, KP Yeo, R Bisoendial, Chung SH, K CY McGrath, KW Tan, A Heather, J. S Alexander, V Angeli . Lymphatic vessels are essential for the removal of cholesterol from peripheral tissues by SR-BI-mediated transport of HDL. Cell metabolism. 2013 May; 17(5):671-684
7. Tan KW, Chong SZ, Wong FH, Evrard M, Tan SM, Keeble J, Kemeny MD, Ng LG, Abastado JP, Angeli V. Neutrophils contribute to inflammatory lymphangiogenesis by increasing VEGF-A bioavailability and secreting VEGF-D. Blood. 2013 Nov 21;122(22):3666-77.

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