The role of Id2 in the survival, homeostasis and memory formation of mature T cells

• Applicant: Dr. Michael A. Cannarile
• Subject Area: Immunology
• Term: from 2006 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 35554235

CD8+ T cells are crucial to the control of infection by intracellular pathogens such as viruses and intracellular bacteria. While CD8+ T cell responses are studied extensively, very little is known about the transcriptional control of gene-expression patterns regulating their survival, proliferation and differentiation. The events that regulate how naïve T cells respond to pro-survival signals, how the expansion after priming is regulated and, finally, the events that rescue effector cells from dying after antigen clearance and contribute to the formation of the memory pool still remain to be identified. The objective of this project is to identify the cellular and molecular interactions regulating the persistence of CD8+ T cells and their response to infection. This information is crucial to the understanding of T cell homeostasis and the formation of immunological memory. Recent findings from the laboratory of Prof. Goldrath highlight a previously undescribed role for a family of transcription factors, the E proteins, and their antagonists, the inhibitors of DNA binding (Id) proteins, in regulating the CD8+ T cell response. These proteins are known to play a central role in hematopoiesis, lymphocyte development and cell-cycle control, yet, there are no reports on their precise role in mature CD8+ T cells during an immune response. The primary focus of this project is to determine the role of Id2, a member of the mammalian Id protein family, in homeostasis, survival, effector and memory formation of mature T cells. I already found that Id2-expression is crucial for mature T cell survival during infection. Thus, the relevance of the presence or absence of Id proteins in mature T cells will be determined for the first time by the specific aims outlined in this proposal.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professorin Dr. Ananda W. Goldrath