Molecular Regulation of CD8 T Cell Memory by BCL-6

描述(申请人提供)：暴露于抗原后，宿主淋巴细胞经历分化过程，产生抗原特异性记忆淋巴细胞。记忆T细胞提供了一个抗原特异性淋巴细胞池，能够在抗原再次暴露后迅速做出反应。虽然T细胞记忆开始在细胞水平上被理解，但涉及记忆的转录调控却知之甚少。最近的遗传学数据已经证实，序列特异的转录抑制因子bcl6是CD8T细胞记忆的调节因子。本研究将通过研究BCL-6在记忆性CD8 T细胞发育和存活过程中的动力学和功能，重点研究BCL-6在CD8记忆性T细胞生成中的作用。这些研究将为CD8 T细胞记忆的分子调控提供深入的认识。此外，他们可能会确定特定的方法来加强CD8 T细胞记忆，以帮助清除感染，或防止自身反应性CD8记忆T细胞的不适当发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Following exposure to antigen, host lymphocytes go through a process of differentiation resulting in the generation of antigen-specific memory lymphocytes. Memory T cells provide a pool of antigen-specific lymphocytes capable of rapid response following antigen re-exposure. While T cell memory is beginning to be understood at the cellular level, the transcriptional regulation involved in memory is poorly understood. Recent genetic data have identified bcl-6, a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor, as a regulator of CD8 T cell memory. This proposal will focus on the role of bcl-6 in the generation of CD8 memory T cells, by defining the kinetics and function of bcl-6 in memory CD8 T cell development and survival. These studies will provide insight into the molecular regulation of CD8 T cell memory. Furthermore, they may identify specific methods to accentuate CD8 T cell memory to aid in clearance of infection, or to prevent inappropriate development of autoreactive CD8 memory T cells.