Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
Exposure to environmental pollutants such as wildfire smoke, diesel exhaust, and pesticides damage a human immune organ called the thymus. Thymic damage results in dysregulation of the immune system in the form of immune suppression and autoimmune disease. The thymus is capable of regeneration, and we are trying to figure out how this regeneration happens. We know that a specific chemical signal, IL-23, is released after the damage. The release of IL-23 is essential for cells associated with tissue repair to be activated and for the thymus to regenerate. A paper has been published that suggests IL-23 is released by a starfish-shaped cell called a dendritic cell. However, another cell type in the thymus, a macrophage, is capable of releasing IL-23 in other tissues. Because the macrophage couldbe responsible for releasing IL-23 in the thymus, I suggest that both dendritic cells and macrophages are responsible. No one has previously examined the involvement of macrophages in the thymic regeneration. Knowing which cells are responsible for IL-23, we can inform future medical research to improve immune regulation and overall health.
Mentor Name
Celine Beamer
Immune Organ Regeneration After Dioxin Exposure
UC North Ballroom, Presentation Pod 2
Exposure to environmental pollutants such as wildfire smoke, diesel exhaust, and pesticides damage a human immune organ called the thymus. Thymic damage results in dysregulation of the immune system in the form of immune suppression and autoimmune disease. The thymus is capable of regeneration, and we are trying to figure out how this regeneration happens. We know that a specific chemical signal, IL-23, is released after the damage. The release of IL-23 is essential for cells associated with tissue repair to be activated and for the thymus to regenerate. A paper has been published that suggests IL-23 is released by a starfish-shaped cell called a dendritic cell. However, another cell type in the thymus, a macrophage, is capable of releasing IL-23 in other tissues. Because the macrophage couldbe responsible for releasing IL-23 in the thymus, I suggest that both dendritic cells and macrophages are responsible. No one has previously examined the involvement of macrophages in the thymic regeneration. Knowing which cells are responsible for IL-23, we can inform future medical research to improve immune regulation and overall health.