Dr Diane Scott

Antigen-specific Transplantation Tolerance

Understanding the mechanisms of induction of tolerance and linked suppression are of prime importance in devising approaches to prevent organ and haematopoietic stem cell rejection in the clinic. We have developed an in vivo model of peptide-induced tolerance that causes linked suppression to additional well characterised antigenic epitopes.

Our goal is to use this model to identify patterns of gene expression in both T cells and antigen-presenting cells during the initial tolerising event and during the induction of linked suppression and to further investigate the interaction of these cells in vivo. An understanding of the pathways leading to non-responsiveness will aid in the development of potential intervention strategies to promote antigen-specific graft tolerance. 

Current research publications:

Chai JG, Hames E, Dewchand H, Simpson E and Scott D (2004) Trasplantation tolerance induced by intranasal administration of HY peptides. Blood 103:3951-3959

James E, Scott D, Chai JG, Millrain M, Chandler P, Simpson E (2002) HY peptides modulate transplantation responses to skin allografts. Int Immunol 11:1333-1342

Millrain M, Scott D, Addey C, Dewchand H, Ellis P, Ehrmann I, Mitchell M, Burgoyne P, Simpson E and Dyson J (2005) Identification of the immunodominant HY H2-D(k) epitope and evaluation of the role of direct and indirect antigen presentation in HY responses. J Immunol 175(11):7209-7217

Mirenda V, Millington O, Lechler RI, Scott D, Hernandez-Fuentes MP, Read J, Tan PH, George AH, Garside P and Marelli-Berg FM (2005) Tolerant T cells display impaired trafficking ability. Eur J Immunol 35(7):2146-2156