Abstract

Xenotransplantation may be a solution to the shortage of organs affecting thousands of people. Xenografts are rejected by several mechanisms and overcoming this problem will allow us to create a limitless source of organs suitable for transplantation with minimal or no rejection. The objective of this proposal is the study of the interactions affecting Natural Killer (NK) cells recognition of other cells. The recognition of """"""""non-self' cells by NK cells is one of the major problems during organ transplantation, especially between different species (xenotransplantations). Overcoming these interactions is one of the key steps necessary for a successful organ transplant. By having a better understanding of the interactions that take place between """"""""self' or """"""""non-self' cells and NK cells, we will have a better chance to create a mechanism that minimizes the rejection of the transplanted organ. We will study these interactions with established NK cell lines and pig cells. The pig cell lines to be used have been modified to regulate the expression of MHC class I proteins and/or expressed certain HLA molecules by means used by viruses during infection of hosts cells. NK cells isolated from whole blood will be also used to study these interactions.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31AI054324-01A1
Application #
6685655
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-MBC-1 (29))
Program Officer
Hernandez, Milton J
Project Start
2003-07-30
Project End
2007-07-29
Budget Start
2003-07-30
Budget End
2004-07-29
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$25,768
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
122452563
City
Little Rock
State
AR
Country
United States
Zip Code
72205

  Publications

Garcia-Borges, Carmen N; Phanavanh, Bounleut; Crew, Mark D (2006) Characterization of porcine TAP genes: alternative splicing of TAP1. Immunogenetics 58:374-82
Lilienfeld, Benjamin G; Garcia-Borges, Carmen; Crew, Mark D et al. (2006) Porcine UL16-binding protein 1 expressed on the surface of endothelial cells triggers human NK cytotoxicity through NKG2D. J Immunol 177:2146-52
Garcia-Borges, Carmen N; Phanavanh, Bounleut; Saraswati, Sarika et al. (2005) Molecular cloning and characterization of a porcine UL16 binding protein (ULBP)-like cDNA. Mol Immunol 42:665-71
Crew, Mark D; Cannon, Martin J; Phanavanh, Bounleut et al. (2005) An HLA-E single chain trimer inhibits human NK cell reactivity towards porcine cells. Mol Immunol 42:1205-14
Crew, Mark D; Phanavanh, Bounleut; Garcia-Borges, Carmen N (2004) Sequence and mRNA expression of nonclassical SLA class I genes SLA-7 and SLA-8. Immunogenetics 56:111-4