Immune Development And Regulation: A Crucial Link Unearthed

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Blank Immune Development And Regulation: A Crucial Link Unearthed

15 Oct 2010

An Australian team of scientists has uncovered a quality control mechanism that

must take place for our immune system to subsequently effectively destroy

harmful viruses and bacteria.

The findings were published in the prestigious international journal Nature.

The team solved a 15-year puzzle by working out the structure and function of a

protein called pre T alpha that is essential in guiding the correct expression

of various receptors expressed by T lymphocytes, white blood cells of the immune

system.

These receptors, known as T cell receptors, recognise unique components of

microbial pathogens.

Joint team leader, ARC Federation Fellow Professor Rossjohn, from Monash

University's School of Biomedical Sciences, said that understanding the

structure of pre-T alpha explains a fundamental step in T cell development and

anti-microbial immunity.

" We showed that the pre-T alpha molecule not only assists in the expression of

functional T cell receptors but it also allows two molecules to bind together,

which alerts the T cell that this receptor is constructed properly, allowing the

T cell to move to the next step in its development, " Professor Rossjohn said.

Co-leader of the project Professor Jim McCluskey from the University of

Melbourne said without T cell receptors we would be profoundly immunodeficient

and therefore pre-T alpha plays an essential role in ensuring proper immunity.

" Additionally, there is some evidence that pre-T alpha may also be involved in

some childhood leukaemias, so this new knowledge of how it functions may be

important in diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, "

Professor McCluskey said.