A Novel Role For MHC Class II In Carbohydrate Presentation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$703,030.00
Summary
Cells of the immune system swallow up foreign molecules and break them down to smaller fragments. T cells then identify the degraded antigen fragments and coordinate the immune response. In this project we will investigate how the T cells identify carbohydrates.
NKT cells are a type of lymphocyte with the ability to prevent a broad range of diseases including cancer, autoimmunity, infection and graft rejection. Sometimes, NKT cells also cause diseases, including allergy and atherosclerosis. This project will investigate how NKT cells become activated in these diseases by studying their surface receptors and what these receptors interact with.
Recognition Of Lipid Antigens By CD1d-restricted Type-2 NKT Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,684.00
Summary
Protection against infection depends on T cells, which recognise and target foreign molecules called antigens via a specialized antigen receptor known as a T cell receptor (TCR). This project focuses on a specialised population of T cells called Natural Killer T (NKT) cells that recognise lipid antigens. The work outlined in this grant will increase our understanding of how different TCRs can recognise diverse lipid antigens thus providing insight into the role of NKT cells in the immune system.