Millions of Europeans suffer from allergy, a condition worryingly common among children and young adults. Although mostly manageable, some allergies can be life threatening. Standard of care is limited to the management of symptoms, and therapies aimed at curing the disease are currently absent . Allergic reactions are caused by a hyper-activated immune system. Immune cells in the body, called “T helper 2” (TH2) cells, are the coordinators of an inflammatory cascade that is responsible for many of the pathologies and symptoms associated with allergy. The aim of this project is to better understand how TH2 cells develop and cause disease, to identify novel therapies to prevent allergy.
TH2 cells secrete soluble protein mediators called “cytokines” that pull the trigger on inflammation. For example, factors secreted by TH2 cells are responsible for sensitisation to allergens like pollen, grass or house dust mite. These factors are linked to sneezing, wheezing and rashes typical of allergic reactions. They also cause hyper-secretion of mucus in the airways, particularly in allergic asthma. This project investigates a new class of secreted factors - called miRNAs - produced by TH2 cells. While this project was supported by the European Commission, we performed experiments to identify: i) which miRNAs are secreted by TH2 cells; ii) which miRNAs are transferred to other cells of the immune system; iii) what are the molecular mechanism that govern miRNA secretion; iv) what is the biological implication of secreted miRNAs in the development of allergic asthma.
As a result of this project we will publish our findings in full advancing our understanding of how the body responds to allergens, the immune system and the development of immunological diseases (see below). This project will help to expand the therapeutic window to treat different immunological disorders, from allergies to autoimmune diseases.
