How does polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis regulate T cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How does polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis regulate T lymphocyte function?
IRAS ID
257314
Contact name
Graham C Burdge
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The ability of the immune system to react swiftly and appropriately to infection is vital for health and survival. Immune cells have recently been shown to be able to make their own polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which are essential molecules in all cell walls. These PUFAs are structural, but also act in a number of ways to affect the way that the immune cells respond to messages and signals. In older age, the immune response declines, making older people more vulnerable to infection. In this study we will investigate how the ability of immune cells to make polyunsaturated fatty acids effects their response to immune stimulation in the laboratory. We will compare the immune cell response and biosynthesis of PUFA in the laboratory from healthy older and younger people (65-75 and 18-30 years of age). We will collect blood samples from healthy men and women in two age groups (18 - 30 years and 65 -75 years) and isolate immune cells. The participants will come to the NIHR Welcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Southampton General Hospital for their appointments. They will attend a screening appointment and if eligible will be invited to join the study. Older participants (65-75 years of age) will be asked to attend one study appointment to provide a blood sample of 50 ml; the younger participants (18-30 years of age) will be asked to attend 3 study appointments with a minimum of a month between each and asked to provide a blood sample of 100 ml at each appointment. All study blood samples will be taken to the Human Development and Health laboratories in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton for analysis.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0096
Date of REC Opinion
15 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion