UI researchers investigate regulation of immune sys...( lso affects which parts of the pathogen...)

The roles of these molecules did not change when the researchers repeated the experiments using a virus as the infecting agent even though viruses and bacteria interact with the host animal in very different ways during an infection.

"This is very basic research aimed at understanding how this very precisely orchestrated expansion and decline, and memory phase of the immune system is controlled," Harty said. "Understanding how the basic biology of the system is regulated provides insight into how we might manipulate the system. In the case of these studies, the ultimate goal would be to learn how to manipulate the levels of T cell memory, which could result in better, more effective vaccinations."

Autoimmune diseases result from inappropriate activation of certain T cell subsets, which recognize self-antigens as opposed to pathogen antigens. Understanding how T cells are regulated could also help scientists understand and possibly treat autoimmune conditions.

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Contact: Lynn Rose
Lynn-Rose@uiowa.edu
319-335-9585
University of Iowa
15-Nov-2000