Our current research proposal will address the following main objectives:
- To characterize the biological and functional effects of autologous neutrophils and NK cells in co-cultures.
- To characterize the biological and functional effects of neutrophils and different subsets of circulating dendritic cells (DC) in co-cultures.
- To characterize the cross-talk among neutrophils, DC and NK cells, as well as to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms.
- To evaluate the existence of a cross-talk among neutrophils, DC and NK cells in selected chronic inflammatory, autoimmune or infectious diseases (already identified).
- To evaluate the existence of, and characterize, the biological and functional effects of neutrophils and CD4+/CD8+ T cells in co-cultures, in particular the antiapoptotic effects of T cells on neutrophils.
- To evaluate the existence and characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the “cross-talk” between:
- neutrophils and Th17 cells;
- neutrophils and Th1 cells.
