REGULATION OF THYMOCYTE APOPTOSIS BY THROMBOXANE A2

产品说明： 培训计划：自身反应性胸腺细胞的克隆删除（阴性 选择）由程序性细胞死亡的诱导引起，或 凋亡这一过程对于在一个 单独的. 虽然失去自身耐受性可能导致自身免疫性疾病， 疾病时，诱导对同种异体抗原的耐受可能导致 永久性器官移植最近的研究表明，血栓素 胸腺微环境中产生的TXA_2可调节胸腺细胞的增殖， 成熟 血栓烷合酶，最终的催化酶参与 在TxA2合成中，在胸腺内表达。 此外，胸腺 表达高水平的血栓素受体（TxR），远高于 其他组织测试。 最后，TxR表达已定位于 未成熟的胸腺细胞和这些细胞暴露于TxA2诱导 凋亡 因此，假设TxA2与其受体结合，并通过 特定的信号通路，调节细胞过程， T细胞成熟和选择。 该项目的目标是 确定TxR的生化特性和个体发生， 研究TxA2在胸腺细胞发育中的作用。 为了研究这一假设，提出了三个具体目标：（1） 为了表征与TxR偶联的信号转导途径， 胸腺细胞 在这些研究中， 将通过以下方法鉴定新鲜分离的胸腺细胞中TxR 微生理测量和活性第二信使偶联证实， 标准生化分析。 (2)为了确定哪些信号是由 TxR可引起胸腺细胞凋亡。 这些研究将直接决定 第二信使中的哪一个（在具体目标I中确定）介导 体外胸腺细胞凋亡。 (3)为了确定TxA2对 胸腺细胞体外成熟。 用胎儿胸腺器官培养作为 胸腺发育模型，申请人将直接测试作用 TxA2对T细胞发育的影响。 T细胞受体 转基因小鼠将被用来专门研究TxA2在 控制自身反应性T细胞前体的阴性选择。 该项目预计将提供有关 TxR在胸腺细胞中的表达和功能及其在胸腺细胞增殖中的作用 TxA2在调节T细胞成熟中的作用。 希望大家理解 脂质介质在胸腺发育中的作用可能提示新的 预防自身免疫性疾病和诱导 器官移植耐受性。

DESCRIPTION: Training Plan: The clonal deletion of autoreactive thymocytes (negative selection) results from the induction of programmed cell death or apoptosis. This process is important for achieving tolerance within an individual. While loss of self-tolerance may result in autoimmune disease, the induction of tolerance to alloantigens may result in permanent organ graft acceptance. Recent studies suggest that thromboxane A2 (TxA2) produced in the thymic microenvironment may regulate thymic maturation. Thromboxane synthase, the final catalytic enzyme involved in TxA2 synthesis, is expressed within the thymus. Moreover, the thymus expresses high levels of the thromboxane receptor (TxR), far above that of other tissues tested. Finally, TxR expression has been localized to immature thymocytes and exposure of these cells to TxA2 induces apoptosis. Therefore, the hypothesis is that TxA2 binds to its receptor and, through specific signaling pathways, regulates cellular processes important to T cell maturation and selection. The goals of this project are to identify the biochemical characteristics and ontogeny of the TxR in thymocytes and identify the function of TxA2 in thymocyte development. To investigate this hypothesis, three specific aims are proposed: (1) To characterize the signal transduction pathways coupled to the TxR in thymocytes. In these studies, the signal transduction pathways coupled to the TxR in freshly isolated thymocytes will be identified by microphysiometry and active second messenger coupling confirmed by standard biochemical assays. (2) To identify which signals activated by TxR cause apoptosis in thymocytes. These studies will directly determine which of the second messengers (identified in specific aim I) mediate apoptosis of thymocytes in vitro. (3) To define the effects of TxA2 on thymocyte maturation in vitro. Using fetal thymic organ culture as a model of thymic development, the applicant will directly test the role of TxA2 in influencing the development of T cells. T cell receptor transgenic mice will be used to specifically examine the role of TxA2 in controlling negative selection of autoreactive T cell precursors. This project is expected to provide novel information regarding the expression and function of the TxR in thymocytes and the effective role of TxA2 in regulating T cell maturation. It is hoped that understanding of the role of lipid mediators in the thymic development may suggest new strategies in preventing autoimmune disease and in the induction of transplantation tolerance to organ allografts.