Interferon regulatory factor 8 activity in human haematopoisis and immunity

The immune system is our major defense against bacterial infections, viruses and cancer. It is also responsible for inflammatory diseases and plays a major role in age-related degenerative diseases. The immune system is made of many different cells including granulocytes, monocytes, dendritic cells and lymphocytes. All of these are created in the bone marrow from stem cells through the process of blood formation, known as haematopoiesis. The output of haematopoietic cells is tightly regulated in health, but can be adapted to meet demand when the immune system is challenged.
Haematopoiesis is a complex process. The production of different cells depends upon specific genes that are turned on and off by proteins that bind to DNA, known as transcription factors. Production is finely tuned to allow the immune system to respond to specific threats, a process known as demand-adaptation. Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 (IRF8) is a key transcription factor in haematopoiesis but how it is regulated and how it controls other genes is not well understood. People with a faulty IRF8 gene are unable to make dendritic cells, and in some cases also monocytes, but have a large excess of neutrophils. The level of imbalance depends upon how much IRF8 activity is present, strongly suggesting that IRF8 is the master control switch. If there are insufficient dendritic cells, then it is not possible to develop immune memory to past viral infections and vaccines. Lack of neutrophils lead to frequent and often fatal bacterial infections, while too many can cause inflammation in the lungs and suppress natural immune responses to cancer. Correctly balanced haematopoiesis is therefore critical to maintaining health and responding effectively to disease.
In this project I will study how IRF8 is regulated and how it maintains the balance of haematopoiesis by controlling the activity of other genes. I will use cutting-edge techniques that reveal these processes within single cells. I will also use genetic variation in the IRF8 gene to study how deficiencies in IRF8 activity impact the mechanisms regulating haematopoiesis.