T-cell growth factor pathways and immune modulation

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Organ failure associated with aging and advanced diabetes mellitus as well as severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases represent severe medical problems. Despite major progress, achieving effective immunosuppression and long-term graft survival remains a serious obstacle that is complicated by their extreme side effects and toxicities associated with these first and second generation immunosuppressants including cyclosporine A and FK506. It is therefore essential to explore novel molecular aspects of T-cell activation and expansion so that safe and effective therapeutic strategies can be designed. Whereas cyclosporJne targets T-cell receptor activation, several lines of evidence now justify a critical investigation of the later phase of T cell activity that is driven by interleukin-2 (IL2) family cytokines as new molecular targets for immune suppression. In this application, we present extensive and compelling preliminary data suggesting that pharmacological inhibition of IL2-induced Stat5 phosphorylation is remarkably effective against allograft rejection in animal models. The objective of this application is to investigate the effector pathways that regulate Stat5a/b activation and the genes they target. The principal hypothesis to be tested is that active Stat5 transcription factors are critical for T cell modiated immunity, and that in addition to the Jak3 tyrosine kinase, a yet-to-be identified Stat5 serine kinase is also imporotant for mediating T cell responses. To accomplish the objective of this proposal, we will pursue three specific aims to 1) Determine the role that early and late phase T-cell surface receptors regulate Stat5a/b activation, 2) Functionally characterize and identify the 80 kDa proline-directed Stat5 serine kinase; and 3) Identify Stat5 target genes in human T cells using a genome-wide technology for trapping Stats response elements. This work is important, and may significantly advance the field by providing direct molecular rationale and preclinical evidence for a new immunosuppressive strategy that could replace or complement current treatments.