cihr_grants: 170482

This data as json

external_id	title	project_lead_name	co_researchers	institution	province	country	competition_year	award_amount	program	program_type	theme	research_subject	keywords	abstract	duration	source_url
170482	Characterization of B cell tolerance and functional abnormalities in human lupus	Wither Joan E	Wither, Joan E	University Health Network (Toronto)	Ontario	Canada	200809	363714.0	Operating Grant	Operating Grants	Biomedical	Infection and Immunity	Autoimmunity; B Cells; Lupus; Tolerance	The immune system plays an important role in discriminating between proteins that are foreign to the body, such as those in the bacteria and viruses that cause infections, and proteins that are normal parts of the body, such as those found in organs like the kidney and the brain. Foreign proteins are attacked preventing overwhelming infection while self-proteins are normally left unharmed. We believe that Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) results from defects in the immune system that lead to abnormal activation of cells that react to self-proteins. In the immune system two classes of cells, T and B cells, act in concert to mount an immune response. In many strains of mice that develop a lupus-like illness, B cell functional abnormalities play a central role in the pathogenesis of disease, yet the function of B cells in human lupus has not been well explored. Nevertheless, we, and others have shown that the B cells of humans with lupus are abnormally activated suggesting that they too have altered function. Here we seek to identify the functional abnormalities in the B cells of lupus patients and to determine whether they lead to altered responses to self-proteins. Identification of such abnormalities could ultimately lead to characterization of the underlying biochemical and genetic defects that produce SLE and more effective therapies for this condition.	3 yrs 0 mth	https://webapps.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/decisions/p/project_details.html?applId=170482&lang=en