UV-mediated regulation of antimicrobial peptides

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thomas Schwarz
• Subject Area: Dermatology
• Term: from 2010 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 153090838

This project is based on the hypothesis that the well known suppression of T-cell-mediated immune reactions by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is as beneficial as the induction of antimicrobial peptides (AMP), since this could inhibit allergic and autoimmune reactions in the skin. Hence, we postulated that AMP in addition to their antimicrobial activity contribute also to the suppression of the adaptive immune response. Utilizing the model of allergic contact hypersensitivity we showed that the murine AMP ß-defensin-14 (mBD-14) induces antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Treg). In contrast to UVR which primarily affects antigen-presenting cells, mBD-14 targets directly T cells. Thus, the renewal grant shall clarify by which mechanisms mBD-14 induces Treg, to what extent mBD-14-induced Treg differ from UVR-induced Treg, whether mBD-14 exerts its immunosuppressive features also in other immunologic models (allergic autoimmune encephalitis) and whether human AMP can induce Treg as well.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Dr. Agatha Schwarz