Glucocorticoid hormones produce cell death in specific cell types of the immune system (T-cells) by inducing changes in gene expression. The phenomenon provides a basis for using glucocorticoids to treat patients with lymphomas and lukemias. This project will study how the proteins that bind glucocorticoid hormones (receptors) cooperate with other regulatory proteins to alter gene expression in a murine T-lymphoma cell line. The effect of mutations in the receptor gene and in genes encoding other participating proteins will be studied. The goals are to understand the basic mechanisms involved in regulation of gene expression by glucocorticoid receptors and to identify more effective methods for treating T-lymphomas.
