Developing proteomics to look at the regulation of innate lymphoid cells by IL-33.

2型固有淋巴样细胞(ILC2s)在介导2型免疫反应中起着关键作用，但除了它们产生细胞因子的能力外，其功能和调节仍不清楚。ILC2是由IL-33和IL-25激活的，这两种细胞在应对蠕虫感染方面都很重要。在这个项目中，将研究这些细胞因子诱导的ILC2的变化，重点是有助于塑造Th2免疫反应的功能。以前对ILC2的研究受到体内ILC2数量较少的限制，然而最近蛋白质组学和质谱学的进展意味着现在有可能使用这些技术来观察这些细胞的信号和功能变化。这将结合功能丧失和小分子抑制剂的研究来剖析控制这些细胞功能的信号通路，最初重点放在p38 MAPK通路上。

Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) play key roles in mediating type 2 immune responses, however beyond their ability to produce cytokines the function and regulation is still poorly understood. ILC2s are activated by IL-33 and IL-25, both of which are important in the response to helminth infections. In this project will look at the changes in ILC2s induced by these cytokines, focusing on functions that would help shape the Th2 immune response. Previous studies on ILC2s have been limited by the low numbers of ILC2s in the body, however recent advances in proteomics and mass spectrometry mean it in now possible use these techniques to look at the signalling and functional changes in these cells. This will be combined with loss of function and small molecule inhibitor studies to dissect the signalling pathways that control the function of these cells, initially focusing on the p38 MAPK pathway.