The goal of this program is to understand the regulation and dysregulation of the immune system in autoimmunity. The program involves collaborative interaction between members of three Departments, and is organized into four projects supported by three Core facilities. Expertise in the field of immunology, molecular biology, and biochemistry will focus on the vents that initiate and sustain autoimmune responses, and the regulatory processes. which contain autoimmunity. We will address the following questions. What are the requirements to initiate autoimmune responses? Are autoimmune responses regulated, and if so, by what mechanisms? Does immune regulation contain autoimmune responses under normal circumstances? Finally, do sustained autoimmune responses remain chronic because they diversity from a single initiating response to responses to other autoantigens from the same tissue? These questions will be addressed by collaborative interactions between the Principal Investigators of these projects, which are as follows: (1)R.A. Flavell- Using transgenic mice expressing a T cell receptor specific for myelin basic protein (MPB) and gene targeted mice lacing L- selectin or E- and P-selectin, the role of selectins in the development of EAE will be determined. The requirement of selectins for the development of disease, as well as the mechanisms which underlie this requirement will be determined, focusing on the cell types which must express L-selectin, the role of selectins in the entry of leukocytes into the CNS and the potential role of selectins within the CNS. (2) C.A. Janeway Jr.- This project will investigate four aspects of the regulation of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE): Why are mice lacking B cells unable to fully resolve their disease; why does the inability to form cells with other receptors lead to spontaneous disease in mice transgenic for a TCR that recognizes myelin; why do mice cells with other receptors lead to spontaneous disease in mice transgenic for a TCR that recognizes myelin; why do mice with the same receptor who are heterozygous for gld get spontaneous disease; and what is the role of L- selectin in EAE, in collaboration with project 1. (3) M.J. Shlomchik- Transgenic mouse models will be used to study the regulation of B cells expressing a disease-related autoantibody, rheumatoid factor (RF), in normal and autoimmune mice. In contrast to some other autoantibody models, RF B cells from these transgenics are competent to initiate an immune response. Thus, studies will focus on how RF B cells are regulated after Ag stimulation in normal mice and propagated in autoimmune mice, and what prevents chronic autoimmunity in RF transgenic mice. (4) M.J. Mamula, PI- This project will examine the role of self-peptides in the initiation and perpetuation of both Band T cell autoimmunity in models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (EAE). The role of B cells as autoantigen in models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (EAE). The role of B cells as autoantigen presenting cells will be examined with relevance to mechanisms that lead to epitope spreading in autoimmunity. Finally, this work will study a novel post-translational peptide modification that arises naturally in cells and confers immunity to self peptides. These four projects will be supported by an administrative core to coordinate the project as a whole, a genetically modified mouse core to provide gene targeted and transgenic rodents essential to most of these studies, and a FACS core, to allow us to separate cells for analysis and to analyze cells in all of these projects. The program is coordinated by frequent meetings of the program faculty bringing together these diverse approaches to address a common goal.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 79 publications
