CRC TRR 332 - A02: Fasting regulates neutrophil life-cycle and function

Basic data for this project

Description

Fasting exhibits profound effects on immune cell dynamics and pathogen control. Our own preliminary data from the first funding period clearly show that fasting impairs neutrophil maturation and reduces their ability to phagocytose and clear fungi-borne compounds. Thus, nutritional cycles are emerging as crucial regulators of neutrophil production and function. Here, we systematically assess how fasting affects the neutrophil life cycle and its consequences in disease models. Specifically, we characterize how short- and longer-term fasting affects neutrophil production, mobilization and clearance, study the impact of fasting on intracellular neutrophil metabolism, assess short- and long-term consequences of fasting on the function of neutrophils, and finally dissect the impact of fasting on host defence and sterile inflammation.