INTRACELLULAR IMMUNITY AS THE ORGANIZER OF HOST DEFENSE
Advances in defining the intracellular recognition systems for microbial nucleic acids and membrane components hold opportunities for directed immune therapies of malignancies and intervention in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases processes.
The newly identified GEFH1-IKKε-IRF5 signaling pathway in macrophages is essential for the detection of peptidoglycans and activation of host defense responses against intracellular bacterial and viral pathogens. This microtubule-based recognition system induces a unique transcriptional response program independent of Toll-like and NOD-like receptor signaling. Beyond directing anti-microbial host defense, the outcomes of our experiments also have broader implications for anti-tumor immunity. Microtubule destabilization with subsequent GEFH1 activation identified an alternate intracellular axis for dendritic cells maturation in which GEFH1 is essential for protective anti-tumor immunity.
Cyclic di-guanylate monophosphate is a transcriptional regulator in bacteria that activates the intracellular DNA sensor stimulator of interferon genes (STING), encoded by Tmem173. Our characterization of the function of interferon regulatory factors controlled by the STING signaling axis for adaptive T cell control will aid in the elucidation of disease mechanisms that are initiated by host or pathogen DNA recognition in the cytosol.
Date:
2 December 2019, 14:00 (Monday, 8th week, Michaelmas 2019)
Venue:
Pathology EPA Building, off South Parks Road OX1 3UB
Venue Details:
Seminar Room
Speaker:
Associate Professor Hans-Christian Reinecker (Harvard Medical School )
Organising department:
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
Organiser:
Jo Peel (University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology)
Organiser contact email address:
jo.peel@path.ox.ac.uk
Host:
Prof Matthew Freeman (Dunn School of Pathology)
Part of:
Dunn School of Pathology Research Seminars
Topics:
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editors:
Jo Peel,
Melissa Wright
