Role Of DC-NK Cross-talk In Viral Infection: Defining The Critical Molecular Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,000.00
Summary
Dendritic cells (DC) are a highly specialized subset of cells involved in activating the immune system in response to infection. Dendritic cells can activate T cells, which then destroy infected or damaged cells. Recent evidence has suggested that activation of natural killer (NK) cells may also be an important function of dendritic cells. NK cells specialize in the removal of damaged cells and have been shown to be particularly important in controlling viral infection and tumour growth and spre ....Dendritic cells (DC) are a highly specialized subset of cells involved in activating the immune system in response to infection. Dendritic cells can activate T cells, which then destroy infected or damaged cells. Recent evidence has suggested that activation of natural killer (NK) cells may also be an important function of dendritic cells. NK cells specialize in the removal of damaged cells and have been shown to be particularly important in controlling viral infection and tumour growth and spread. The central aim of this work is to determine what mechanisms are used by dendritic cells to activate NK cells during viral infection. The well characterized murine cytomegalovirus model (MCMV) will be used to address this question. MCMV is a model for human cytomegalovirus infection (HCMV). HCMV infection usually poses no risk to healthy individuals, however, in people who are immunosuppressed, such as cancer or AIDS patients, HCMV is a significant cause of mortality. The MCMV infection model has provided important insights as to how the immune system controls infection, and the mechanisms utilized by the virus to circumvent these processes. The proposed studies will enhance our understanding of how natural killer cell function is regulated by dendritic cells, and how viruses may interfere with this process. More importantly, the results will provide critical insights into how immunotherapy protocols may be modified to enhance effectiveness.Read moreRead less
Investigating CD4+ T Helper Cell Differentiation During Blood-stage Plasmodium Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Some infections tend to afflict us only once, e.g. chickenpox, because our bodies develop immunity to these microbes relatively easily. In contrast, it takes many infections to develop immunity to the malaria parasite, because our immune systems seem to respond inefficiently to it. My work will improve our understanding of how the immune system is poorly activated during malaria, and may provide new ideas for boosting the immune system in response to malaria or indeed other infections.