ImmunoSense Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Integrated experimental and in silico modelling of MHC presentation in skin sensitization.
IRAS ID
202826
Contact name
Michael R Ardern-Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Allergy to chemical contact sensitizers has typically been considered to be due to direct immune targeting of the chemical by the host immune system. However recent work has suggested that in fact, several other mechanisms may also be important:
1. the chemical allergen may induce immune responses by changing self-proteins to form new antigens which appear 'foreign' to the immune system.
2. The chemical allergen displaces natural self-peptides on the cell surface. This leaves the immune molecules exposed to subsequent insertion of 'atypical' self-peptides which the immune system is not expecting. This causes an immune response.This project is part of a larger programme of work to establish the exact nature of all 'foreign' self peptides or 'atypical' peptides, by characterising how the surface antigens on cells change with exposure to a contact sensitizer in the laboratory. In human volunteers we will address whether these findings from the laboratory are confirmed as valid. We will take 50 ml blood sample from 230 individuals (including those allergic to a chemical contact sensitizer and controls) to screen for tissue type (HLA A3101). Subjects (pending tissue type status), will be invited to provide a second blood sample for further analysis. We will then test whether they have evidence of immune responses targeting the foreign or atypical self-peptides.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2176
Date of REC Opinion
7 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion