Project 461624

It is being increasingly found that factors that occur very early in life can promote the generation of disease later in life, and this is also true for autoimmune diseases. Our research focuses on two molecules, receptors known as PD-1 and BTLA, present on the surface of some immune system cells. Strong evidence supports the concept that these receptors are involved in preventing our immune system attacking our own cells/tissues. We will examine genetically engineered animals that will lack the function of these receptors at different stages in the life of the animal and in the life of the immune cells. We hypothesize that these receptors are particularly important early in life on newly generated immune cells and that their early action is necessary to prevent later life susceptibility to autoimmune disease. Identifying when and where these receptors are needed will be critical to the future design of medicines that prevent or stop autoimmune disease.