Understanding Immune Defence Against Infections and Cancer

Grant number: 1062990 | Funding period: 2014 - 2016

Completed

Abstract

When cells of the human body become cancerous or infected with virus, the body's immune system engages cytotoxic lymphocytes, known as "killer cells", that secrete an auxiliary of toxic proteins to eliminate these cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms by which these critical immune cells accomplish this task. Importantly, humans who are genetically lacking in critical constituents of the cytotoxic lymphocyte are less able to fight off a viral infection and may be at a higher risk of developing cancer.

Related publications (5)

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Neonatal cytomegalovirus palatal ulceration and bocavirus pneumonitis associated with a defect of lymphocyte cytotoxicity caused by mutations in UNC13D

PE Gray, B Shadur, S Russell, R Mitchell, K Gallagher, K Thia, P Palasanthiran, I Voskoboinik

2019-03-28

Single gene defects that impair lymphocyte cytotoxicity can predispose to severe viral infection that normally remains subclinical..

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Bi-allelic mutations in STXBP2 reveal a complementary role for STXBP1 in cytotoxic lymphocyte killing

JA Lopez, T Noori, A Minson, LL Jovanoska, K Thia, MS Hildebrand, H Akhlaghi, PK Darcy, MH Kershaw, NJ Brown, A Grigg, JA Trapani, I Voskoboinik

2018-03-15

The ability of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CL) to eliminate virus-infected or cancerous target cells through the granule exocytosis dea..

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Adaptive reprogramming of NK cells in X-Linked lymphoproliferative syndrome

S Opat, AC Hearps, K Thia, A Yuen, B Rogers, M Chachage, G Moore, J Shortt, G Ryland, P Blombery, AP Schwarer, T Noori, JA Trapani, A Jaworowski, I Voskoboinik

2018-02-08

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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 ..

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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 ..

University of Melbourne Researchers