The role of natural killer cells in host defence against varicella

我们知道免疫系统中的淋巴细胞对于控制引起水痘和带状疱疹的病毒VZV非常重要。当免疫力受到抑制时，例如癌症化疗，水痘可能是一种非常严重的疾病。偶尔，以前健康的孩子也会变得同样不适，这促使我们问他们的免疫系统是否有缺陷。通常，遗传性免疫缺陷的已知原因都找不到，但在极少数情况下，自然杀伤（NK）淋巴细胞缺乏。这可能会给我们一个关于VZV是如何被正常免疫系统控制的线索。在这个项目的第一部分，我们将研究NK细胞是否以及如何在正常个体中控制VZV。然后，我们将研究患有异常严重水痘的儿童的抗病毒免疫反应。如果我们是正确的，NK细胞有助于控制VZV，我们预测这些儿童中的一些将有NK功能的遗传问题。我们将尝试确定哪些特定基因有缺陷。更好地了解免疫系统与VZV等病毒相互作用的方式将有助于我们照顾更广泛的受影响儿童和成人群体。

We know that the lymphocytes of our immune system are very important for control of the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles, VZV. When immunity is suppressed, for instance by cancer chemotherapy, chickenpox may be a very severe illness. Occasionally, previously healthy children become similarly unwell, prompting us to ask if their immune system is faulty. Often, none of the known causes of inherited immunodeficiency can be found, but in rare cases there is a shortage of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes. This may be giving us a clue about how VZV is contained by the normal immune system.In the first part of this project we will investigate whether and how NK cells could contribute to the control of VZV in normal individuals. We will then study antiviral immune responses in children who have suffered unusually severe chickenpox. If we are right that NK cells help to control VZV, we predict that some of these children will have inherited problems with NK function. We will try to identify which specific genes are faulty. Improved understanding of the way the immune system interacts with viruses like VZV will help us to look after a broader group of affected children and adults.