# CHARACTERIZATION OF THE IMMUNOREGULATORY CIRCUITS IN MAN

> **NIH NIH R01** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 1990 · $233,773

## Abstract

T lymphocytes play a central role in the immune response by
specifically recognizing antigens and functioning as effector or
regulatory cells.  Major recent technical breakthroughs in the
molecular characterization of T lymphocyte subsets, and in
identification of lymphokines responsible for lymphocyte activation
should facilitate the development of important new insights into
the immunoregulatory circuits in man.  Our long-term objective is
directed at defining the structural basis of characterization of
the regulatory circuits involved in the generation of both help and
suppression in man using a combination of molecular biology,
biochemistry and cellular immunology.  This information will
provide important insights into the nature of molecular and
cellular defects seen in autoimmune diseases such as SLE and RA.
The specific aims of this proposal are:  1) Activation mechanisms
employed by subsets of T4 cells will be studied.  Cell surface
molecules involved in activation of T4+2H4+ suppressor inducer and
T4+4B4+ helper inducer cells will be characterized.  Moreover, the
spectrum of lymphokines such as IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, etc.,
produced by subsets of T4 cells will be studied.  2) The mechanism
by which activated suppressor inducer cells interact with T8
suppressor cells to generate suppressor signals will be studied.
The cell surface molecules on activated T4+2H4+ cells or of the
recently developed T4+2H4+ suppressor inducer cell line that
participate in suppressor cell activation will be studied.  We also
plan to develop new monoclonal antibodies against the T4+2H4+
suppressor inducer cell line to characterize the antigen
recognition unit and to identify new cell surface molecules
involved in suppressor inducer function.  These antibodies will be
used to study the structural basis of suppressor signals in T4+2H4+
suppressor inducer cells.  3) The molecular and cellular basis of
defective regulatory circuits in patients with autoimmune diseases
will be determined.  Differences in the expression of 2H4 and new
functional surface molecules, and LCA gene expression in SLE
patients will be determined.  Mechanisms of generating helper and
suppressor signals in SLE patients will also be studied and the
specificity of anti-T cell antibodies found in SLE plasma will be
determined using transfected target cells.  The expression of 4B4
and LCA molecules at both protein and genomic levels in synovial
lymphocytes from patients with RA, etc., will also be determined.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3156631
- **Project number:** 5R01AR033713-06
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DPMGH9MG1X67
- **Principal Investigator:** Chikao Morimoto
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $233,773
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-07-01 → 1993-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3156631

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3156631, CHARACTERIZATION OF THE IMMUNOREGULATORY CIRCUITS IN MAN (5R01AR033713-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3156631. Licensed CC0.

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