Glucocorticoids and development of the immune system

糖皮质激素和免疫系统的发育

• 批准号: RGPIN-2014-04884
• 负责人: Soma, Kiran
• 金额: $ 2.48万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=611306
• 关键词: Glucocorticoids; development; immune; system

Stress has major effects on the immune system of all vertebrate animals. Long-term stress can have serious negative consequences for the survival and function of immune cells. In particular, early life stress can “program” the immune system and have enduring consequences on animals that last well into adulthood. Glucocorticoids are hormones that increase in response to a variety of stressors. These hormones are secreted from the adrenal glands and, via the blood, reach their distant targets (for example, cells in the thymus and bone marrow, where important immune cells develop). However, recent research shows that glucocorticoids can also be synthesized within the immune organs themselves, particularly early in life. This project focuses on the local synthesis of glucocorticoids during early development, in both birds and mammals. In particular, how are local glucocorticoid levels regulated by environmental stressors? How do these local glucocorticoids act on immune cells? Do local glucocorticoids have long-lasting or transient effects? The answers to these questions will help us understand how stress affects young and adult animals. This fundamental knowledge will be broadly applicable to a wide range of vertebrate species and will be used by researchers in a variety of disciplines, including ecology, endocrinology, immunology, and molecular biology.

压力对所有脊椎动物的免疫系统都有重大影响。长期的压力会对免疫细胞的生存和功能产生严重的负面影响。特别值得一提的是，早期的生活压力会对免疫系统进行“编程”，并对动物产生持久的影响，一直持续到成年。 糖皮质激素是一种荷尔蒙，会在各种压力下增加。这些荷尔蒙从肾上腺分泌，并通过血液到达它们的远程目标(例如，胸腺和骨髓中的细胞，重要的免疫细胞在那里发展)。然而，最近的研究表明，糖皮质激素也可以在免疫器官本身内合成，特别是在生命早期。 该项目的重点是在鸟类和哺乳动物的早期发育过程中局部合成糖皮质激素。尤其是，局部糖皮质激素水平是如何受环境应激源调节的？这些局部糖皮质激素如何作用于免疫细胞？局部糖皮质激素的作用是持久的还是短暂的？这些问题的答案将帮助我们理解压力是如何影响幼年和成年动物的。这一基本知识将广泛适用于广泛的脊椎动物物种，并将被包括生态学、内分泌学、免疫学和分子生物学在内的各种学科的研究人员使用。