Development and function of inflammatory dendritic cells

疫苗接种方法依赖于被称为T淋巴细胞的细胞的激活和扩张，这种细胞可以识别病原体的抗原。免疫后，这些T细胞对病原体的反应更快、更好，并能介导免疫保护。T淋巴细胞的激活由一种称为树突状细胞的细胞家族控制，该细胞捕获病原体，并将病原体来源的抗原呈递给呈递分子上的T细胞，称为主要组织相容性复合体(MHC)。已经描述了几种树突状细胞群。它们具有独特的免疫功能，对建立保护性免疫很重要。然而，树突状细胞家族中的一些成员还没有得到很好的描述，它们在保护性T细胞反应中的具体作用还没有确定。特别是，在接种疫苗(或感染)引起的小规模炎症过程中，免疫系统会大量产生一种新的细胞，称为炎症性DC(IDCs)。IDC是如何产生的，它们在多大程度上有助于保护性免疫反应的发展，仍有待了解。这项建议旨在：-更好地描述这些细胞的特征，-了解免疫系统如何产生它们，并-确定它们如何影响疫苗诱导的获得性免疫的发展这项研究对人类和动物的健康很重要，因为它将能够生产出更好的疫苗。事实上，了解IDCs生物学是定制疫苗佐剂的关键，这种佐剂将最大限度地诱导成功接种疫苗所需的保护性免疫反应。

The vaccination method relies on the activation and expansion of cells called T lymphocytes that can recognise the antigens of pathogens. After vaccination, these T cells react quicker and better to pathogen encounter and can mediate immune protection. The activation of T lymphocytes is controlled by a family of cells called dendritic cells that capture pathogens and present pathogen derived antigens to T cells on presenter molecules called MHC (major histocompatibility complex). Several populations of dendritic cells have been described. They harbour distinct immune function important for the establishment of protective immunity. However, some members of the dendritic cell family are ill described and their specific contribution to the protective T cell responses not yet defined. In particular, during the small inflammation caused by vaccination (or infection), a new type of cells is produced in large quantities by the immune system called inflammatory DCs (iDCs). How iDCs are produced and to what extent they contribute to the development of protective immune responses has still to be understood. This proposal intends to :- better characterise these cells, - understand how the immune system produces them and - determine how they impact the development of adaptive immunity induced by vaccinationThis research is important for human and animal health because it will enable to produce better vaccines. Indeed understanding iDCs biology is key to tailor vaccine adjuvants that will maximise the induction of protective immune responses required for the success of vaccination.