Immunobiology of leukocyte activation

TalTech priority area
Research classification (Frascati)
Head of the research group
Research group member
Keyword
immune regulation
leukocyte activation
RGS16
P2X4
P2X7
Multiple Sclerosis
melanoma
eosinophils
Covid19
Overview
The group focuses on the biology of leukocyteactivation and its regulation. The control of leukocyte activation is of paramount importance forhealth, both at the steady state and during theimmune response.We have selected two families of regulators ofwhich the immune regulatory functions remainpoorly understood, the RGS (Regulator of Gprotein Signalling; main target RGS16) and thepurinergic receptors (P2X main targets p2x4and p2x7). We studied control mechanisms ofleukocyte activation mediated by these genes inthe context of two pathologies: multiple sclerosisand melanoma.We also followed comparative approaches tounderstand the importance of these genes in thecontext of the evolution of the immune system. We showed that P2X7 receptor resulted fromthe fusion of a P2X4 similar gene with an exonencoding a ballast domain.We also showed in RGS16 KO mice that theexpression of RGS16 by recipient mice inhibitedthe development of grafted melanoma in vivo.[Teras et al 2018 a]. However, this mechanismwas not required for the antitumoral effect of theapoptin protein (ORF3) of the circovirus PCV2,which was based on the induction of apoptosis[Teras et al 2018 b]. In collaboration with PERHwe demonstrated an effective melanoma treatment method (Teras et al 2020; and PhD thesisMarina Teras, collaboration with PERH).
Important results
We published a review where we describe diseases whose physiopathology involves P2X4receptor signaling and summarize that signalingvia P2X4 is highly pH dependent (Kanellopouloset al 2021).
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