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SUMMARY:The GIMAP/IAN GTPases\, regulators of lymphocyte development and s
 urvival - Dr Geoff Butcher\, The Babraham Institute
DTSTART:20101117T123000Z
DTEND:20101117T133000Z
UID:TALK26908@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sue Griffin
DESCRIPTION:In a healthy individual numerous homeostatic mechanisms contri
 bute to the overall stability of the mature pools of T and B lymphocytes p
 resent. For instance\, the generation of new cells from haematopoietic pre
 cursors in the bone marrow and thymus is kept in balance with the loss of 
 mature cells from peripheral compartments of the body\; in another example
 \, the proliferation of specific clones of T or B cells in response to an 
 antigen or an infection is followed by a phase of clonal contraction which
  returns the repertoire close to its starting state.  The importance of ho
 meostasis is evident from several immune diseases associated with having t
 oo few lymphocytes (lymphopenias) or too many (e.g. lymphadenopathies). Th
 e regulation of lymphocyte survival vs. programmed cell death (apoptosis) 
 is therefore essential to the survival of the healthy organism. \n\nGeoff 
 Butcher's group is studying a family of cell signalling molecules which ap
 pears to play a part in the maintenance of lymphocyte populations. This is
  the GIMAP family (GTPase of immunity associated proteins) made up of 7-8 
 putative guanine nucleotide hydrolases (GTPases) encoded in mammals in a g
 ene cluster on a single autosome (chromosome 7 in humans). Attention was d
 rawn to this family in 2002 when a mutation in one of its members\, GIMAP5
 \, was shown to be the basis of severe peripheral lymphopenia seen in the 
 BBDP rat model of spontaneous autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus. This ly
 mphopenic phenotype suggested that GIMAP5 is an anti-apoptotic regulator o
 f normal T lymphocyte survival. At this stage\, however\, little was known
  about this enigmatic family of GTPases and so Butcher’s group has under
 taken characterising it in greater detail and searching for insights into 
 its functional roles and mechanism of action.  \n\n
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre\, Department of Pathology\, Tennis Court Road
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