Innate lymphoid cells in renal inflammation

• Applicant: Privatdozent Dr. Jan-Eric Turner
• Subject Area: Nephrology
• Term: from 2015 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 261149925

Innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are a recently identified cell type that is characterized by production of large amounts of the T helper cell cytokines IL-22, IL-17A, IFN-gamma, as well as IL-5 and IL-13 during immune responses. As cells of the innate immune system, ILC are activated independently from antigen directly by cytokine signals. So far ILC have mainly been studied in barrier organs, such as the gut, lung and skin.In preliminary experiments, we identified an ILC population that resides in the kidney of mice and humans. In mice, renal ILC can be expanded by treatment with the cytokine IL-33 and produce large amounts of the type 2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13.The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the functional role of ILC in immune-mediated kidney diseases. In a translational approach, we will first use mouse models for glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis to address the kinetic and function of the ILC response in different forms of immune-mediated renal injury. Furthermore, we will use a novel method for in vivo labelling of gut and kidney-residing immune cells in mice to assess the migration of ILC between different organs. Secondly, we will characterize ILC populations in the blood and kidney of patients with immune-mediated kidney diseases and analyse changes in ILC activation and abundance under immunosuppressive therapy.The long-term aim of this project is to evaluate renal ILC as potential therapeutic targets for modulation of the immune response in kidney diseases.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups