MECHANISM OF IMMUNOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN SOFT CORAL

该项目的总体目标是增加对免疫识别的理解和异体不相容的基础，特别是从系统发育的角度。在有代表性的礁珊瑚和软珊瑚中，存在着高度区分的同种免疫反应。尽管三种“低等”动物的免疫反应性与哺乳动物惊人地相似，但其潜在机制尚未被发现，目前仍存在争议。虽然人类免疫系统极其复杂，涉及许多细胞和因素的相互作用，但在这些简单动物身上的基本发现可以为理解更复杂的免疫机制提供重要的见解。拟议的研究将集中在柳珊瑚的下列问题上：免疫细胞及其功能的进一步表征。组织化学和电子显微镜将用于检查伤口愈合和同种异体移植实验条件下的组织，以确定细胞的结构/功能关系，并测试特定细胞在吞噬、粘附和凝集方面的能力。2. 细胞毒性机制。细胞毒性将通过体外和体内实验进行检查，以(a)测试细胞毒性反应的特异性，(b)识别细胞毒性细胞并测试可溶性细胞毒性因子的假设，(c)测试细胞凋亡与异体移植排斥反应有关的假设，(d)开始分离与异体移植排斥反应有关的基因。3. 免疫记忆。实验将证明同种免疫记忆的持续时间，测试同种异体细胞作为刺激的持久性，并检查温度对记忆的影响。4. 同种免疫的细胞方面。一系列的实验将检查细胞识别，激活，运动和调节参与同种免疫反应。5. 组织相容性遗传学。大量同种异体移植物将与基于微卫星的DNA指纹相结合，以测试Swiftia组织相容性的潜在遗传学是否符合Medawar的“个体独特性”概念。

The overall objective of this project is an increased understanding of immunorecognition and the basis of allogeneic incompatibilities, especially from a phylogenetic perspective. Existence of a highly discriminating alloimmune reaction has been demonstrated in representative species of reef and soft corals. Although immune reactivity in thee "lower" animals is surprisingly similar to that found in mammals, the underlying mechanisms have not been discovered and are currently controversial. While the human immune system is exceedingly complex and involves interactions of numerous cells and factors, basic findings in these simpler animals could provide important insights in understanding more elaborate immunologic mechanisms. Proposed studies will focus on the following questions in Swiftia exserta, a gorgonian coral: 1. Further characterization of immunocytes and their function. Histochemistry and electron microscopy will be used to examine tissues under the experimental conditions of wound healing and allografting to determine the structure/function relationships of the cells as well as testing the capability of specific cells with regards to phagocytosis, adherence and agglutination. 2. Mechanisms of cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity will be examined through in vitro and in vivo experiments to (a) test the specificity of the cytotoxic response, (b) identify the cytotoxic cell and test the hypothesis of a soluble cytotoxic factor, (c) test the hypothesis that apoptosis is involved in allograft rejection, and (d) start isolating the genes involved in the allograft rejection. 3. Immunological Memory. Experiment will demonstrate the duration of alloimmune memory, test for the persistence of allogeneic cells as a stimulus and examine the effects of temperature on memory. 4. Cellular aspects of alloimmunity. A series of experiments will examine cellular recognition, activation, movements and regulation involved in the alloimmune response. 5. Genetics of histocompatibility. A large series of allografts will be made in conjunction with microsatellite based DNA fingerprinting to test the hypothesis that the underlying genetics of Swiftia histocompatibility fits Medawar's concept of the "Uniqueness of the Individual."