Descripción del proyecto
Información sobre la función de las células dendríticas
Las células dendríticas (CD) activan la parte innata del sistema inmunitario al procesar y presentar antígenos a los linfocitos T. El reconocimiento de los hidratos de carbono tiene lugar a través de los receptores de lectinas tipo C en la superficie de las CD. Para comprender cómo influye la naturaleza química de estos antígenos en la interiorización, el tráfico y la presentación, los científicos del proyecto LectiNet, financiado con fondos europeos, proponen estudiar la participación de los antígenos en los receptores. Para ello, desarrollarán polímeros multivalentes y heterogénos como vectores para administrar selectivamente antígenos a CD y estudiar los fenómenos posteriores. Los resultados aportarán conocimientos fundamentales sobre el mecanismo de acción de las células presentadoras de antígenos más potentes del sistema inmunitario.
Objetivo
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells due to their ability to prime T-cell immune responses. The numerous endocytic transmembrane receptors located on their surface can recognise and process endogenous and exogenous antigens. Despite DCs being efficient sentinels, pathogens, unfortunately, in some cases can evade their guard, and cause viral, bacterial infections, and cancer. The DCs mechanisms behind the lack or the presence of an immune response are not fully understood.
Chemistry offers powerful tools to prepare synthetic antigens, mimicking the natural one. Synthetic antigens can, not only be exploited to disclose the relationship between the antigen chemical structure and its processing by the immune cells but also used to train the immune system to fight pathogens. The overall aim of LectiNet is to reveal how cooperative engagement of human C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) on DCs surface influences antigen internalisation, trafficking, and presentation. This will be achieved by targeting CLRs with heterogenous multivalent polymers and analysing DC signaling and antigen routing. LectiNet hence will disclose multitarget polymers as vectors to selectively deliver antigens through DCs following a pre-designed pathway to fight viral infection and cancer.
In this global fellowship, I will benefit from the joint supervision of Professor Laura L. Kiessling from MIT and of Professor Paul V. Murphy from NUIG. LectiNet will provide me an excellent training to complement my current knowledge in synthetic chemistry, with immunology cell biology and polymer chemistry, placing me in a unique interdisciplinary area in the European research scenario. LectiNet will explore novel delivery strategies of vaccines for infectious disease and cancer and provide novel insights into the role of CLRs co-engagement.
Ámbito científico
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseases
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
H91 Galway
Irlanda