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Projekt Druckansicht

Between vigilance and tolerance: Innate immune signaling at the intestinal epithelium

Fachliche Zuordnung Parasitologie und Biologie der Erreger tropischer Infektionskrankheiten
Förderung Förderung von 2012 bis 2017
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 221043826
 
Erstellungsjahr 2017

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

Although not all aims of the original project proposal could be reached, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the structural and functional mechanisms that establish and maintain the intestinal mucosal barrier in the continuous presence of commensal bacteria and enteropathogenic microorganisms. In particular, we have gained significant insight in the kinetic of the postnatal intestinal barrier maturation in respect to the delivery of mucosal antigens to the underlying immune cell compartments, the critical and cooperative role of the mucus layer and secreted antimicrobial peptides forming a physicochemical shield, the presence and nature of the homeostatic innate immune signaling at the intestinal epithelium and the conditions that facilitate innate immune stimulation during challenge with enteropathogenic microorganisms and thus allow an efficient antimicrobial host defence. We will further pursue the topic in future studies in particular in respect to antigen delivery and immune cell maturation by luminal antigens during the postnatal period and the functional features during pathogen exposure (both at the microbial and host side) that promote and impede an efficient antimicrobial host response. With this work, we hope to better understand the development of food allergies early in life and identify strategies to improve oral vaccination. Also, we aim at identifying therapeutic approaches to foster the neonatal mucosal immune system to prevent or better protect from enteric infection and reduce the morbidity and mortality from enteric infection in children.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

 
 

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