Die Rolle von natürlichen Killer T Zellen in entzündlicher Lebererkrankung: Untersuchung des Schutzmechanismus vor Concanavalin-A induzierter Hepatitis

• Applicant: Dr. Philomena Arrenberg
• Subject Area: Gastroenterology
• Term: from 2007 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 49537628

The liver plays an important immunological role between tolerance and immunity. Dysbalance results in chronic infection or autoimmune disease, capable of leading to liver cirrhosis. The aim is to achieve the knowledge to control this balance and manipulate towards one or the other direction in order to treat the respective disease. For this, examination of the different liver cell subsets is necessary to understand their immunological functions. A relatively new discovered subset, the natural killer T cells, is known to be involved in diverse autoimmune diseases, tolerance induction and in anti-tumor immunity. Their role in liver diseases is not yet understood. It has recently been shown that a subtype of these natural killer T cells, type I natural killer T cells, plays a critical role in mediating autoimmune hepatitis in mice, while another subtype, type II natural killer T cells, is able to protect mice from hepatitis upon activation. In this proposal, it shall be examined, how this protection is mediated. It is hypothesized, that activation of type II natural killer T cells leads to recruitment of anergic type I natural killer T cells. Mechanisms of anergy induction and self-antigenpresentation in the liver will be investigated to find potential therapeutic targets.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Vipin Kumar, Ph.D.