Award details

The basis for decreased responsiveness to immune challenge in the elderly in vivo

ReferenceERA16274
Principal Investigator / Supervisor Professor Arne Akbar
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Dr Fiona Plunkett
Institution University College London
DepartmentDepartment of Clinical Immunology
Funding typeResearch
Value (£) 197,656
StatusCompleted
TypeResearch Grant
Start date 01/02/2002
End date 31/07/2005
Duration42 months

Abstract

Old individuals have decreased ability to respond to recall antigens in vivo. We propose to investigate the basis for this lack of responsiveness by injecting purified protein derivative (PPD) into the skin of these subjects and analysing the kinetics of the reaction in two ways. First by histological analysis of biopsies and second by direct measurement of cells and mediators in suction blisters induced at the site of injection. The kinetics of the response of old and young individuals will be compared. We will investigate if the decreased response may be due to 1) defective migration of leucocytes into the lesion 2) altered turnover of leucocytes and 3) increased inhibition by CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.

Summary

unavailable
Committee Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research TopicsX – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research PriorityX – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative Experimental Research on Ageing (ERA) [2001]
Funding SchemeX – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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