Profiling the interaction of mammalian respiratory allergens with cells of the epithelial interface

How different allergens induce an allergicTh2 type response is still unresolved for most allergens. Among inhalant mammalian allergens, lipocalins represent the most important protein family. However, their allergenicity still remains enigmatic. Lipocalins’ mechanism of cellular binding, uptake, processing and presumed allergenic immune modulation is unknown.The present project aims at analyzing
i) the interaction between animal lipocalins and human dendritic and/or epithelial cells,
ii) the mechanisms of Th2 response induction,
iii) the role of ligands in this interaction.
The elucidation of cellular pathways induced by animal lipocalins is crucial for the understanding of allergic immune responses to animals and may ultimately lead to new therapeutic approaches.