Project description
New critical players in the innate immune system
Innate immunity enables resistance to infectious agents, response to tissue damage, and conditions triggering inflammation. The innate immune system includes a cellular and a humoral arm with humoral fluid-phase pattern recognition molecules (PRM). The long pentraxin PTX3 is a prototypic evolutionary conserved PRM, which could be used as a tool to study humoral innate immunity. The ERC-funded PHII project aims to identify new functional activities of humoral innate immunity molecules for potential clinical applications in humans in the context of tissue damage and repair or cancer. The study will test the hypothesis that matrix and microbe recognition could be related functions of humoral molecules in the innate immune response and that PTX3 plays a role in cancer-related inflammation.
Objective
The innate immune system includes a cellular and a humoral arm. Structural diversity is a characteristic of humoral fluid phase pattern recognition molecules. These include complement components, collectins, ficolins, and pentraxins. We have used the long pentraxin PTX3, identified by the applicant (cDNA and genomic, mouse and human), as a prototypic fluid phase pattern recognition molecule to dissect its function, as well as to define general properties of humoral innate immunity and its interplay with the cellular arm. The general objective of this application is to explore unexpected vistas on humoral innate immunity, using PTX3 as a molecular tool. Specifically two hypothesis will be tested based on preliminary data. First the applicant will test the hypothesis that matrix and microbe recognition are related functions of PTX3 and that a microenvironmental signal (acidic pH) sets PTX3 in a matrix recognition, tissue repair mode. A second related line of work will focus on inflammation as a key component of the tumor microenvironment. The applicant will test the hypothesis that PTX3 and elements of the humoral innate immune system are essential components of cancer related inflammation. In particular, based on preliminary data, the hypothesis will be tested that PTX3 acts as an extrinsic oncosuppressor in murine carcinogenesis and in selected human cancers by suppressing the recruitment of tumor-promoting inflammatory cells. These studies are expected to provide new unexpected vistas on the humoral arm of the innate immune system.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence pattern recognition
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2014-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
20100 Rozzano (Mi)
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.