Resarch Asociate, Department of General Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 3, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia

My research focuse is membrane-bound ectoenzyme, ecto-5’-nucleotidase (eN/CD73) which balances extracellular purines concentrations, and, may be said, controls purinergic signaling. This enzyme hydrolyzes AMP to adenosine, thus, shifting the signaling pathways from P2 to P1 purinergic receptors, consequently potentiating adenosine signaling actions. Ecto-5’-nucleotidases is known to function as a cellular adhesion molecule (CAM), as well, and is engaged in direct interactions with ECM, such as tenascin C, laminin or fibronectin. It is special interest of my research to investigate both roles of CD73 and their significance, impact on cellular behavior and participation in inflammatory processes altogether. In the context of neuroinflammation, reactive astrocytes undergo drastic changes, obtaining either beneficiary or malevolent characteristics, modifying their morphology, migratory capacity and transcriptome set including the incensement of CD73. Since it has already been recognized as antibody treatment target in cancer biology, my interest is turned towards unveiling both of this protein’s roles, as enzyme and as adhesion molecule, and its potencies to be pharmacologically manipulated in favor of neuroinflammation resolution in CNS pathologies.

Study of a complex role of ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73 and possibility of using CD73/A2AR axis as a therapeutic target in chronic neuroinflammatory diseases. A number of novel CD73-targeting drugs, competitive and noncompetitive inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies have been developed in recent years, due to growing evidence linking the CD73 with cancer progression and immune escape. Our group is testing these novel CD73 inhibitors for their potency to suppress the inflammatory response and to ameliorate neurological deficits in chronic neuroinflammatory conditions.