Regulatorische T-Zellen

Functional characterization of regulatory T cells in patients with neuroimmunological autoimmune diseases

Autoreactive cells are found not only in patients with autoimmune disease, but also in healthy people, thus it is assumed that further regulatory mechanisms exist to control these harmful cells. Recent data suggest that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (T-reg), which are selected in the thymus, play a decisive role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance, and that a defect in the numbers and the function of the regulatory cells contributes to the progression of autoimmune disease.
In this project, we will assess the functionality and the mechanisms of regulation for regulatory T cells from patients with neurological autoimmune disease. In addition, we will study the export dynamics of Treg from the normal and the myasthenia thymus.

Contact: E. Tolosa, C. Luther