Characterization Of Mast Cell Basophil Haematopoesis In Patients With Asthma And Drug Allergies.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$412,379.00
Summary
The major emphasis of this investigation is to analyse blood for specific cells thought to be implicated in allergic disease from patients undergoing allergic reactions to medications and in patients with asthma and other allergies. Certain cells in the circulation of these patients are thought to be involved in the clinical manifestation seen in patients with asthma and other allergies. These cells have certain characteristics and for the first time our laboratory has identified a particular ce ....The major emphasis of this investigation is to analyse blood for specific cells thought to be implicated in allergic disease from patients undergoing allergic reactions to medications and in patients with asthma and other allergies. Certain cells in the circulation of these patients are thought to be involved in the clinical manifestation seen in patients with asthma and other allergies. These cells have certain characteristics and for the first time our laboratory has identified a particular cell in the circulation of patients with asthma which we believe may be important in the pathogenesis of this condition. We propose to examine these cells in patients with asthma, those experiencing allergic reactions to drugs and other allergies and determine their characteristics and their growth responses to a number of growth factors which have been demonstrated to affect the growth of cells known as mast cells in the test tube. Once we have characterised these cells in terms of what particular proteins and other products they contain we will then try to correlate the number and type of cell with the clinical allergic state of the patient. Blood will be obtained from patients undergoing acute asthma and those in remission to determine if there is any specific relationship of these cells with acute allergic reactions. We will be also looking at how these cells regulate other physiological systems in the body, in particular possible explanations why patients that suffer acute allergic reactions develop significant drops in blood pressure. We can identify these cells with a specific antibody that we have used in our preliminary studies. This antibody binds the surface of these cells, however the specific protein to which this antibody binds has not been identified. We propose to identify this protein by using molecular biology techniques. These studies will provide us with important insights on the nature of these cells and may lead to new therapies.Read moreRead less
Control Of SNARE-mediated Granule Fusion In Mast Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,527.00
Summary
Asthma is an allergic disease affecting two million Australians. A major player in asthma is the mast cell which releases histamine when the cell is stimulated by antigen. The process by which histamine is released involves fusion of cytoplasmic granules containing the histamine with the cell surface membrane. The mechanism of this fusion process appears to be different in mast cells compared with other cells studied, raising the possibility that release of histamine, and hence the acute allergi ....Asthma is an allergic disease affecting two million Australians. A major player in asthma is the mast cell which releases histamine when the cell is stimulated by antigen. The process by which histamine is released involves fusion of cytoplasmic granules containing the histamine with the cell surface membrane. The mechanism of this fusion process appears to be different in mast cells compared with other cells studied, raising the possibility that release of histamine, and hence the acute allergic response, could be controlled if more were understood about the fusion process. This project aims to define the mechanism by which granules dock and then fuse with the cell surface. These are the two apects most likely to be unique in mast cells.Read moreRead less