Insights Into the Manipulation of the Immune Response to Carbohydrate Antigens With Blood Group Functional-Spacer-Lipid Constructs
type: CreativeWork
description: The immune system is extremely complex and critical to the survival of all species as it protects them from attack by foreign micro-organisms and viruses. However the immune system can also be a foe in that it can sometimes turn against the organism it is designed to protect resulting in a range of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, its design to protect against invasion of foreign antigens, creates a major hurdle for transfusion and transplantation. If the immune system could be manipulated to allow for transfusion and transplantation of incompatible tissues, or turned off against specific targets in the case of autoimmune disease, all the while maintaining normal protective functions, then major advances in human health and well-being could be made. A variety of approaches have been used to try to manipulate the immune system, but with no one approach being the panacea, thus leaving open the opportunity for novel approaches to try and manipulate it towards creating beneficial outcomes. The recent development of a technology using novel function-spacer-lipid constructs (FSLs) has the ability to modify cell surfaces. As some of these FSLs are related in structure to glycolipids, they have the potential to inhibit antibodies. This research, using mice, set out to determine if FSL constructs could be used to manipulate the immune system by modifying membrane antigens and inhibiting/neutralizing antibodies. By using KODE™ technology, carbohydrate antigens were introduced to red cells (kodecytes) and visualization molecules provided a novel method with which to study and manipulate the immune response. This research involved a series of experiments in mice to investigate antibody stimulation, cell survival measurement and recovery, antibody neutralization and tolerance induction using various FSL constructs. Four hypotheses concerning the use of Functional-Spacer-Lipid (FSL) constructs were developed to investigate their potential for altering the immune response in mic…
abstract: The immune system is extremely complex and critical to the survival of all species as it protects them from attack by foreign micro-organisms and viruses. However the immune system can also be a foe in that it can sometimes turn against the organism it is designed to protect resulting in a range of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, its design to protect against invasion of foreign antigens, creates a major hurdle for transfusion and transplantation. If the immune system could be manipulated to allow for transfusion and transplantation of incompatible tissues, or turned off against specific targets in the case of autoimmune disease, all the while maintaining normal protective functions, then major advances in human health and well-being could be made. A variety of approaches have been used to try to manipulate the immune system, but with no one approach being the panacea, thus leaving open the opportunity for novel approaches to try and manipulate it towards creating beneficial outcomes. The recent development of a technology using novel function-spacer-lipid constructs (FSLs) has the ability to modify cell surfaces. As some of these FSLs are related in structure to glycolipids, they have the potential to inhibit antibodies. This research, using mice, set out to determine if FSL constructs could be used to manipulate the immune system by modifying membrane antigens and inhibiting/neutralizing antibodies. By using KODE™ technology, carbohydrate antigens were introduced to red cells (kodecytes) and visualization molecules provided a novel method with which to study and manipulate the immune response. This research involved a series of experiments in mice to investigate antibody stimulation, cell survival measurement and recovery, antibody neutralization and tolerance induction using various FSL constructs. Four hypotheses concerning the use of Functional-Spacer-Lipid (FSL) constructs were developed to investigate their potential for altering the immune response in mic…
author: Oliver, Caroline Ann
keywords: Functional-spacer-lipids, Antibody neutralisation, Cell survival measurement, Tolerance
date published: 2012
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:46:20Z
provider: AUT University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: AUT University