Molecular mechanisms of B Lymphocyte differentiation and activation

B细胞产生的抗体是免疫的关键介质，保护我们免受细菌和病毒等病原微生物的侵害。高亲和力抗体的产生是免疫和疫苗接种原则的核心。然而，自身反应性抗体在人类自身免疫性疾病中很常见。事实证明，在类风湿性关节炎等常见但严重的疾病中，消耗B细胞的疗法是成功的。B细胞起源的癌症包括大多数淋巴细胞恶性肿瘤，许多B细胞恶性肿瘤仍然无法治愈。因此，B淋巴细胞在健康和疾病中的研究与我们改进疫苗设计的尝试直接相关；开发自身免疫性疾病的新疗法；并开发对抗B细胞恶性肿瘤的疗法。为了降低与B细胞起作用的疾病相关的发病率和死亡率，需要对调节B细胞激活和分化的分子机制有更全面的了解。该项目旨在揭示控制B细胞发育和功能的机制。该项目提出验证B细胞分化所需的关键基因活性是由一种作用于信使RNA的新机制调节的假设。如果正确的话，它将改变我们对B细胞分化的看法。

Antibodies produced B cells are key mediators of immunity that protect us from pathogenic micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses. The production of high affinity antibodies is central to immunity and the principle of vaccination. However, self-reactive antibodies are common in human autoimmune diseases. Therapies that deplete B cells are proving successful in common but crippling diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cancers of B cell origin comprise the majority of lymphoid malignancies and many B cell malignancies remain incurable. Thus the study of B lymphocytes in health and disease is directly relevant to our attempts to improve vaccine design; to develop new treatments for autoimmune disease; and to develop therapies to combat B cell malignancies. The objective of reducing morbidity and mortality associated with diseases where B cell play a role requires a fuller understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate B cell activation and differentiation. This project seeks to uncover mechanisms that control the development and function of B cells. The project proposes to test the hypothesis that the activity of key genes required for B cell differentiation are regulated by a novel mechanism acting on the messenger RNA. If correct, it will change the way we think about B cell differentiation.