B-cells in autoimmune liver disease (P01*)

• Subject Area: Immunology
• Term: from 2018 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 80750187

B-cell dysregulation with high polyclonal serum immunoglobulin G levels and circulating autoantibodies is a hallmark of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), but it remains unclear if or to what extent B-cells functionally contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. We want to profile livers and blood of AIH patients for B-regulatory factors and B-lineage architecture to explore pathological B-cell regulation and identify potentially pathogenic liver-infiltrating, hyperexpanded and antigen-selected B-lineage clones. In a second step, we will identify antigen/epitope spectra recognized by these clones and study their overlap with the T-cell immunome in the respective patients.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 841: Liver Inflammation: Infection, Immune Regulation and Consequences
• Applicant Institution: Universität Hamburg
• Project Head: Professorin Mascha Binder, Ph.D.