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Start of funding 01.01.2019
Modulation of the immune response following organ transplantation using regulatory T cells
Dr. med. Johanna Wagner
University Hospital Würzburg
Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric surgery
Ph.D. Qzihi Tang
University of California, San Francisco
Transplatation Research Labratory
Following solid organ transplantation, patients need lifelong immunosuppression to avoid rejection and loss of organ function. The immunosuppressants have several side effects, which ultimately interfere with a long-lasting transplant function in most organs. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells (regulatory T cells, Tregs) are a T cell population that is essential for extrinsic control of peripheral tolerance. In transplantation models, Tregs have shown to promote transplantation tolerance. Unfortunately, a very high number of Tregs is required to promote a positive effect on transplantation tolerance. Thus, mechanisms to increase the Treg functions are needed. One mechanism is the application of the CD28 superagonist, which has shown to increase Treg function. We want to apply the CD28 superagonist, which was developed in Würzburg, in the heterotopic murine heart transplantation model and hope to potentize the positive effects on adoptively transferred regulatory Treg populations during expansion cultures and thus improve transplant survival. The cooperation between Würzburg and San Francisco is thought to combine the CD28 superagonist available in Würzburg with the excellent skills of immunological research and expertise on Treg culture and expansion in the lab of Prof. Qizhi Tang in San Francisco.