Characterization of stimulatory and inhibitory immunoregulatory receptors in bony fish

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The immune system is composed of a vast array of proteins and cells, which together play a pivotal role in the detection and elimination of invading pathogens. Compromised or dysfunctional immunity can cause dissemination of bacterial and viral diseases and/or potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions and debilitating autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, precise control and coordination of immune responses is essential for the rapid detection and elimination of pathogens while limiting damage to surrounding tissues. The regulation of cellular immune responses is in part mediated by several immune proteins expressed on cell surfaces that translate environmental cues into functional responses via complex intracellular signaling cascades. Termed immunoregulatory receptors, these proteins are involved in all aspects of cellular immunity and understanding how they influence immune responses provides important information for the design of immunotherapeutic strategies. This knowledge has made significant contributions for combating infections and abrogating allergic responses and autoimmune diseases. Although much is known about immunoregulatory receptor-mediated control of the human immune system, investigations using non-mammalian model systems have recently provided novel insights into conserved mechanisms of immune cell control. This comparative approach for understanding vertebrate immunity has made significant contributions to the design of novel therapeutic strategies for improving human health. Our work focuses on understanding how immunoregulatory receptors control immunity in bony fishes, which allows us to uncover both conserved and unique aspects of immune system control and coordination in two vertebrate species that diverged more than 400 million years ago. Based on the contributions that these investigations have already provided, we anticipate that our studies will continue to provide important information required for an in depth understanding of conserved strategies of immune system protection mechanisms in vertebrates that may lead to improved methods for augmenting or abrogating specific immune responses.