The lymphoid stress surveillance response in human intestine
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characterisation of tissue resident innate-like T cells and the lymphoid stress surveillance response in human intestine
IRAS ID
188323
Contact name
Robin Dart
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The human intestine harbours a complex immune system made up of white blood cells which protect the host from infection. Aside from defending the body against infection, a major potential of this immune system, which is so far poorly understood, is to rapidly recognise and respond to situations where the gut itself becomes damaged e.g. by cancer or inflammation as well as the consequences of infection on the tissues. In such situations the gut expresses stress signals which are recognised and responded to by an unconventional subset of white blood cells. This response may be protective in health, but we suspect in some circumstances these responses, or lack thereof, may be harmful.
We will use recently developed techniques, allowing us to investigate a subset of previously difficult to study white blood cells which are resident in the gut, and display this capacity to respond immediately to tissue stress. Initially we will investigate this response in healthy people, aiming to understand which cells perform this function and how. We will then investigate this in relation to people with inflammatory bowel disease, a chronic potentially disabling bowel disorder with no known cure, which we know causes tissue damage and stress signals. Understanding such fundamental responses in human intestine has the potential to help us develop new targets for treatment of intestinal disease.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0642
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion