BIG is happy to invite you to:
Yenan T. Bryceson, PhD
Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden:
“Insights into the mechanisms of lymphocyte cytotoxicity from studies of
human primary immunodeficiency syndromes”
Abstract
Cytotoxic lymphocytes, such as CD8+ T cells and NK cells, contribute to defence against intracellular pathogens and infected cells. Congenital defects affecting lymphocyte cytotoxicity cause fatal hyperinflammatory syndromes associated with viral infetions or predispose to hematological malignancies. To better understand how primary human NK cells discriminate target cells, we have employed reductionistic target cell systems. Moreover, through genetic and functional analysis of peripheral blood samples from patients suffering primary immunodeficiency syndromes, we have investigated the molecular mechanisms by which cytotoxic lymphocytes recognize and eliminate target cells.
Results have revealed different contributions to synapse formation and activation by distinct receptors, specific pairwise co-operation among receptors for NK cell activation, and requirements for specific SNARE-proteins and Ca2+ influx for cytotoxic lymphocyte vesicle exocytosis. The biological and clinical significance of these findings will be discussed.
Welcome!