Balancing glutamate and cation channel signaling in inflammatory neuronal injury (B12)

• Subject Area: Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: from 2016 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 213904703

In the previous funding period, we identified a novel β1-integrin/Kv1.3-mediated vesicular glutamate release pathway in Th17 cells inducing local cytoplasmatic calcium release and subsequent damage in neurons (Birkner et al., JCI 2019). The goals of this funding period are (1) to investigate in detail the role of T cell-derived glutamate secretion for T cell signaling in the peripheral immune system, (2) to assess the impact of direct T cell-neuron interaction on neuronal calcium homeostasis and functional behavior and (3) to translate our findings to MS patients.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 128: Initiating/Effector versus Regulatory Mechanisms in Multiple Sclerosis - Progress towards Tackling the Disease
• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Stefan Bittner