Navigation Links
Fox Chase Cancer Center scientists identify immune-system mutation

A team of Fox Chase Cancer Center scientists led by immunologist Dietmar J. Kappes, Ph.D., has identified the genetic mutation that keeps a mouse strain from developing white blood cells, or lymphocytes, called helper T cells. The report by Kappes and his colleagues appears in the Feb. 24 issue of Nature.

Kappes' laboratory first discovered the mice with this naturally occurring defect in Fox Chase's laboratory animal facility in 1997. Known as "helper deficient" or HD mice, they are proving to be useful for exploring the pathways of lymphocyte development, according to Kappes.

Helper T cells, so called because they arise from the thymus gland, are essential for combating intracellular viral and bacterial infections (cell-mediated immunity) and also for helping other white blood cells (B cells, derived from bone marrow) generate antibodies against foreign agents that enter the body. Other T cells are known as killer cells because they attack foreign invaders more directly.

"The maturation of T cells involves key branch points at which cells choose one of two different pathways, going on to become helper cells or killer cells," Kappes said. His goal is to understand how T cells specialize to do different jobs.

Commitment to the helper or killer lineages correlates precisely with the restriction of the T-cell receptor toward either class I or class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Most helper T cells carry a surface protein called CD4, which is attracted to class II MHC. Killer cells carry the CD8 protein, attracted to class I MHC. However, the underlying molecular pathways that regulate this process have remained obscure.

"The mutant HD mice are unable to generate mature helper T cells, even though their immature T cells carry the CD4 protein," Kappes explained. "Instead, the mutation redirects them to the killer-cell pathway.

"Our new study identifies this defect as a point mutation in the zinc finge
'"/>

Source:Fox Chase Cancer Center


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Novel Therapy Tested in Mice Could Chase Away Cat Allergies
2. Fox Chase study shows that weakened T-cell receptor signals change T-cell lineage
3. Adding Radiation Therapy To Chemotherapy Improves Survival In Patients With High-risk Breast Cancer
4. Jump-starting T Cells In Skin Cancer
5. Deficient DNA Repair Capacity Associated With Increased Risk Of Breast Cancer
6. Breakthrough Microarray-based Technology for the Study of Cancer
7. Yale Scientists Find MicroRNA Regulates Ras Cancer Gene
8. Fundamental Finding Yields Insight into Stem Cells, Cancer; Opens Door to Drug Discovery
9. First-ever Compounds To Target Only Metastatic Cells Are Highly Effective Against Breast, Prostate, And Colon Cancers
10. Gene Vaccine Protects Mice Against Development Of Her2/neu Breast Cancer
11. New Breast Cancer Test Could Save Lives
Post Your Comments:
(Date:5/18/2012)... DeSalles did not set out to discover one of ... exactly what they and a team of researchers ... did in a new study published in Scientific ... human disturbance of the natural world may lead to ... This, in turn, highlights the need to build non-traditional ...
(Date:5/18/2012)... are making significant progress on rust-proofing steel using ... nontoxic alternative to coatings that contain hexavalent chromium, ... experiments, pieces of steel coated with the high-tech ... when immersed continuously in saltwater, an environment that ... dispersion of graphene within the composite, the researchers ...
(Date:5/18/2012)... from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have identified ... function in mitosis, the process that occurs immediately before ... online edition of the Journal of Cell Science ... direct therapies against cancer. , In every organism, cells ... orderly succession of events called "cell cycle". Cells have ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Stanford scientists document fragile land-sea ecological chain 2Using graphene, scientists develop a less toxic way to rust-proof steel 2Using graphene, scientists develop a less toxic way to rust-proof steel 3New key mechanism in cell division discovered 2New Breast MRI Technology Enables Enhanced Breast Cancer Detection 62271 1New Breast MRI Technology Enables Enhanced Breast Cancer Detection 62271 2New Breast MRI Technology Enables Enhanced Breast Cancer Detection 62271 3The Michael J Fox Foundation Announces 241 5 Million in Funding to Advance Development of Drug Targets for Disease Modifying Parkinsons Disease Trea 15002 1The Michael J Fox Foundation Announces 241 5 Million in Funding to Advance Development of Drug Targets for Disease Modifying Parkinsons Disease Trea 15002 2The Michael J Fox Foundation Announces 241 5 Million in Funding to Advance Development of Drug Targets for Disease Modifying Parkinsons Disease Trea 15002 3BSGI Makes Significant Impact on Detection of Breast Cancer in Patients with Negative Mammographic Findings 6609 1BSGI Makes Significant Impact on Detection of Breast Cancer in Patients with Negative Mammographic Findings 6609 2
... and his students have developed a nanomaterial that ... result in more fuel-efficient airplanes and cars as ... , The material xGnP Exfoliated Graphite NanoPlatelets ... new and expanded applications in the aerospace, automotive ...
... can look forward to new, novel forms of their ... crucial genetic data which fruit breeders say will help ... and exciting colours and flavours. , Researchers at New ... biotech company Genesis Research and Development Corporation Limited announced ...
... scientists at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at ... petroleum companies to locate, analyze and process crude oil ... Marshall, a giant in the field of chemical analysis, ... with a California-based company, Sierra Analytics ( www.MassSpec.com ), ...
Other Biology News:'Small' research at MSU leads to advances in energy, electronics 2Genetic data promises new future for kiwi fruit 2Genetic data promises new future for kiwi fruit 3FSU, Magnet Lab researchers license critical petroleum data 2
(Date:5/15/2012)... -- Vermillion, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRML ), a ... for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. ... Q1, the volume of OVA1®, the company,s flagship diagnostic ... masses, was generally in line with the forecast set ... of 28% to 3,952 from the same year-ago quarter. ...
(Date:5/15/2012)... TORONTO, May 15, 2012 Generex Biotechnology Corporation ... into pivotal Phase III trials, is pleased to announce ... (SAB) of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Antigen Express, Inc., has ... experts in clinical trial research and immuno-therapeutic treatments of ... M.D. Indiana University School of ...
(Date:5/14/2012)... PITTSBURGH, May 14 - A small, external bioreactor holding ... organ damage and other complications in a rat with ... of sepsis, according to a report from researchers at ... McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The findings were published ... and Technology . , Inflammation is a necessary biological ...
(Date:5/14/2012)... 2012  More than one billion people worldwide have a ... the ability of the lens in the eye to change ... others struggle with trying to read menus and newspapers. Maybe ... this change in vision, which often begins around age 40, ... for lenses that are both multifocal and daily ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 2Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 3Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 4Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 5Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 6Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 7Vermillion Reports First Quarter 2012 Results 8Generex Enhances Antigen Express Scientific Advisory Board for the AE37 Breast Cancer Vaccine with Renowned Breast Cancer Researchers 2Generex Enhances Antigen Express Scientific Advisory Board for the AE37 Breast Cancer Vaccine with Renowned Breast Cancer Researchers 3Generex Enhances Antigen Express Scientific Advisory Board for the AE37 Breast Cancer Vaccine with Renowned Breast Cancer Researchers 4Bio-hybrid device acts as 'thermostat' to control systemic inflammation in sepsis 2New Daily Disposable Multifocal Contact Lenses from CooperVision Offer Comfort, Performance, Health, and Convenience to Fit Your Life 2New Daily Disposable Multifocal Contact Lenses from CooperVision Offer Comfort, Performance, Health, and Convenience to Fit Your Life 3
... The following release is being issued by the Greater Baltimore ... Greater Baltimore Committee150 company owners, executives and researchers from the ... Bioscience Awards , , WHEN: , ... & Registration , 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. / Awards Program ...
... A new Web site has launched that facilitates ... alternative reproductive processes. The Donor Network Alliance ... egg donors recruited by multiple agencies across the United ... donor agencies that saw the need to pool resources: ...
... Lakewood-Amedex, Inc., (L-A), the anti-infectives biopharmaceutical company ... products including NuBiotics(R), a novel family of synthetic ... J. Robison, a former Pfizer senior executive, to ... was an Executive Vice President of Pfizer, Inc. ...
Other Biology Technology:Greater Baltimore Committee to Announce Winners of 2009 Maryland Bioscience Awards at Ceremonies on March 12 2Greater Baltimore Committee to Announce Winners of 2009 Maryland Bioscience Awards at Ceremonies on March 12 3Agencies Unite to Launch Donor Network Alliance: First-Ever Web-Based Collective of Egg Donor Candidates 2Lakewood-Amedex, Inc. Appoints William J. Robison, Former Executive Vice President of Pfizer, as Board Member 2
... antibody reactive against the complex IV assembly factor ... growing cultured cells. SURF1 is an important assembly ... to participate in the folding of subunit II ... of SURF1, particularly ones that result in an ...
100 g monoclonal antibody which can immunocapture ~10 g of Complex IV from heart mitochondria. Also included are 2 mg of bovine heart mitochondria for control immunocapture....
Rabbit polyclonal to GPR56 ( Abpromise for all tested applications). entrezGeneID: 9289 SwissProtID: Q9Y653...
...
Biology Products: