Pathogenic instruction of CD8 T cell differentiation in Crohn’s disease (A03)

• Subject Area: Gastroenterology ; Rheumatology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 256073931

This project will continue to investigate the mechanisms of impaired induction of T cell exhaustion in Crohn’s disease (CD). Exhausted CD8 T cells, IL-17 producing CD8 T cells, and CD103+ tissue resident T cells can express similar exhaustion-related markers such as PD-1 and CD39 but have different functionality and are implicated in different disease courses (exhausted T cells: mild disease, Tc17 cells: active inflammation, CD103+ TRM: unclear). A03 will generate single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets on these populations in active disease and remission and use integrated bioinformatics to uncover and test potential regulators of differentiation. TCR analysis will be performed on the identified disease-related CD8 T cell populations to understand if clonal expansion suggesting recognition of specific CD-related antigens is involved. A03 will also analyze spatial interaction partners of these cells using highly multiplexed imaging mass cytometry

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1160: Immune-mediated pathology as a consequence of impaired immune reactions (IMPATH)
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Project Head: Professor Bertram Bengsch, Ph.D.