Project description
Regulation of immune system hyperactivation in lupus
In autoimmune diseases the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with B cell dysfunction and production of autoantibodies, leading to heterogeneous clinical phenotypes. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms in place driving aberrant B cell function in SLE. To answer this question, researchers of the EU-funded RoBE project will focus on the B cell protein BANK1, which has a putative role in B cell hyperactivation. They will use a mouse model of SLE to study the implication of BANK1 in B cell activation and effector function. Apart from fundamental insight into the pathophysiology of autoimmunity, results will pave the way towards novel therapeutic interventions.
Objective
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) is a life-threatening and incurable autoimmune disease that affects primarily women, its pathogenesis is related with an exaggerated B cells activation that results both in the generation of antibodies against self-nuclear acid antigens and in the generation of subsets of B cells that can exert antibody-independent roles in Lupus. However, the mechanisms that regulate aberrant B cell functions are poorly understood. In this project, we propose to investigate the role of the B cell scaffold protein with ankyrin repeats 1 (BANK1) in the B cell activation signaling pathways in a mouse model of Lupus. We have previously reported that the absence of BANK1 signaling in mice susceptible to Lupus resulted in the reduction of the activation of B cells, circulating total IgG2c and IgG autoantibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and transcription factors related with TLR7 activation. Our data suggest that BANK1 is an important mediator of B cell hyperactivation. We hypothesize that BANK1 plays an important role in B cell signaling affecting their activation and effector functions in Lupus, however we do not fully understand yet the mechanism behind the function of BANK1. Our specific aims are: 1) to define how BANK1 signaling drives class switch recombination, 2) to determine the mechanism by which BANK1 regulates the cytokine production in B cells, and 3) to examine the participation of BANK1 signaling in the differentiation of pathogenic B cell subsets. To accomplish our objectives, we will use flow and mass cytometry, RNA-based next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin followed by deep sequencing (ATAC-seq), and a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. We expect that the results of these studies will help to understand the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenic B cell response in Lupus and will lead to identification of new avenues for therapeutic development.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology autoimmune diseases
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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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.
41092 Sevilla
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.