senescence and autoimmunity

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Björn Rabe
• Subject Area: Biogerontology and Geriatric Medicine ; Biochemistry ; Immunology
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 231059945

Mutations in the RNase H2 gene lead to the autoimmune disorder Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, which shares many symptoms with Systemic lupus erythematosus. RNase H2 cleaves DNA/RNA hybrids and is also capable of removing misincorporated ribonucleotides from genomic DNA. RNase H2 knock-out mice are embryonic lethal. In this grant application i want to use conditional RNase H2 knock-out mice to propose a new mechanism on how autoimmunity can develop, based on the development of senescence due to an accumulation of DNA damage.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants