Omental iNKT cells as an Immunological Tools in Obesity and Cancer
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play crucial roles in protection against cancer in murine models. We have described large populations of iNKT cells in the human omentum, which until now were thought to be rare in humans. O...
ver más
¿Tienes un proyecto y buscas un partner? Gracias a nuestro motor inteligente podemos recomendarte los mejores socios y ponerte en contacto con ellos. Te lo explicamos en este video
Fecha límite de participación
Sin fecha límite de participación.
Descripción del proyecto
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play crucial roles in protection against cancer in murine models. We have described large populations of iNKT cells in the human omentum, which until now were thought to be rare in humans. Omental iNKT cells display potent cytotoxicity against autologous tumors in vitro however, in patients with obesity and cancer, iNKT cells are depleted. This fellowship seeks to answer many questions which have remained elusive since the discovery of iNKT cells 15 years ago, such as what is their physiological role in humans, why do they accumulate in fat, and what is the natural lipid ligand for these cells. We will study omental iNKT cells and omental lipids in human and murine fat and investigate their role in obesity and cancer using in vivo and in vitro techniques, interventional studies and genetically defined specific gene-deleted animals. In addition, I hypothesise a completely novel function for iNKT cells in the prevention of obesity related chronic inflammation and metabolic disorders. Our research may lead to the discovery of novel immunotherapeutics for the treatment of malignancy and certain obesity-related complications.