Objective
The objective of this project is to employ a multi-disciplinary approach to identify novel targets for second generation immunosuppressive drugs which would be biotechnology derived and in the long-term, based on rational drug design. The targets which will be analysed lie on the IL-2 signalling pathway leading to T cell growth. Selective suppression of this pathway, by inhibiting a key signalling component, would block IL-2 induced T cell expansion and thus suppress the ability of the immune system to respond to insult. The validity of analysing this signal transduction pathway is based on the finding that the novel immunosuppressant, rapamycin selectively abrogates IL-2 driven T cell growth by interfering with IL-2 intracellular signalling.
Indeed, the inhibitory effects on cell growth are closely paralleled by the selective block of IL-2 induced p70s6k activation and subsequent activation of cyclin D2,D3-cdk4/cyclin E-cdk2 complexes, without effecting other kinases whose activation is induced by IL-2. Recent evidence points to PI3K as being the critical upstream enzyme in initiating the p70s6k signal transduction pathway. Activation of PI3K leads to the increased production of PI(3,4,5)P3 and the predicted activation of xPKC, which has been hypothesised to be the upstream p70s6k kinase. The aim of this proposal is to (1) establish the connections between PI3K and dzeta PKC, dzeta PKC and p70s6kl and p70s6k an cyclin D1-cdk4/cyclin Ecdk2, (2) determine if the inhibitory effects on cell growth by rapamycin are exerted through p70s6k and/or cdk2/cdk4 inactivation and (3) develop in-vitro assays which can be used as chemical screens and for the generation of biotechnology derived drugs. To carry out these goals, four leading international groups, in the field of signal transduction, have been brought together with a small SME, Immunotech, Marseille France, and a large Pharmaceutical Company, Ciba, England, from the European Community to attack this problem. The proposal derived from this partnership is divided into three work packages, involving two academic partners in each work package and the two industrial partners participating at every level. As pointed out in the proposal, this project has the potential to improve health care and economic conditions in the European Community while placing Europe amongst the leaders in a competitive area of Biotechnology.
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 cell biology cell signaling
- medical and health sciences basic medicine medicinal chemistry
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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.
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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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.
Coordinator
28049 MADRID
Spain
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.