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BBSRC TPS: PI3Kinase and ageing-related changes in the immune system

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000L734
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Klaus Okkenhaug
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	171,284
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2008
End date	30/09/2012
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Ageing-related changes in the immune system leads to increased susceptibility to infections in the elderly. Thus, older people are more vulnerable to a number of infections such as the flu and various types of food poisoning which generally do not cause serious disease in the young. T cells are a type of white blood cell . A decline in naïve T cells and an increase in T cells with a memory phenotype ('characteristic') occurs with age. The rate of these changes has been correlated with longevity -mice, with younger looking T cells on average living longer. Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and therefore helps determine how much energy the body can use at any given time. We have previously found that mice that were genetically modified to have reduced insulin responses have younger looking T cells and live longer. Inside cells, the PI3Ks are a family of enzymes that get activated when insulin is present. Without PI3K, insulin cannot regulate blood sugar levels. We will determine what the role PI3Ks play in determining the ratio between naïve and memory type T cells and correlate this with their role in promoting or limiting longevity. We will also determine if selected PI3K family members are required to generate memory T cell responses in the first place.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research Topics	Ageing, Immunology, Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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