Regulation of Immune Cell Function

Grant number: 1062706 | Funding period: 2014 - 2016

Completed

Abstract

White blood cells called cytotoxic lymphocytes destroy cancerous cells using special toxic molecules. One of them, perforin, eliminates dangerous cells by punching holes in their membrane. Some individuals that lack perforin become seriously ill in their infancy. Others, that retain some perforin in their lymphocytes can live longer and are at higher risk of developing cancer. We will investigate the causes of partial loss of perforin function and explore novel drug therapies, which should address the problem and restore immune function.

Related publications (3)

Regulation of perforin activation and pre-synaptic toxicity through C-terminal glycosylation

IG House, CM House, AJ Brennan, O Gilan, MA Dawson, JC Whisstock, RHP Law, JA Trapani, I Voskoboinik

2017-10-01

Perforin is a highly cytotoxic pore-forming protein essential for immune surveillance by cytotoxic lymphocytes. Prior to delivery ..

Late-onset Non-HLH presentations of growth arrest, inflammatory arachnoiditis, and severe infectious mononucleosis, in siblings with hypomorphic defects in UNC13D

PE Gray, B Shadur, S Russell, R Mitchell, M Buckley, K Gallagher, I Andrews, K Thia, JA Trapani, EP Kirk, I Voskoboinik

2017-08-09

Bi-allelic null mutations affecting UNC13D, STXBP2, or STX11 result in defects of lymphocyte cytotoxic degranulation and commonly ..

Real-time visualization of perforin nanopore assembly

C Leung, AW Hodel, AJ Brennan, N Lukoyanova, S Tran, CM House, SC Kondos, JC Whisstock, MA Dunstone, JA Trapani, I Voskoboinik, HR Saibil, BW Hoogenboom

2017-05-01

Perforin is a key protein of the vertebrate immune system. Secreted by cytotoxic lymphocytes as soluble monomers, perforin can sel..

University of Melbourne Researchers

Joseph Trapani