As vehicle fleets become electrified and tailpipe emissions are reduced, non-tailpipe emissions such as tyre wear particles (TWP) are becoming a major concern. As tyres are used, they wear and release particles, which either become airborne and potentially enter the lungs and bloodstream, or enter the runoff of roads, accumulating in water and our food chain. Globally, 3 billion kilograms of TWP are released into the environment annually, being a major source of environmental pollution with significant implications for human health. Studies in mice exist that link TWP exposure to lung inflammation, however the cellular and molecular pathways remain unclear. Recent evidence implicates CD8 T cells with auto-aggressive function as key mediators of tissue injury in inflammation-driven contexts. We hypothesize that TWP act as immune modulators, altering antigen-presenting cell (APC) function and unleashing aberrant CD8 T cell activation and cytotoxicity. Such exacerbated responses may drive epithelial injury, fibrosis, and chronic inflammation not only in the lung but also in the gut - two barrier sites directly exposed to TWP.
This project (TREAD) unites expertise in CD8 T cell auto-aggression (TUM) and in wear mechanisms, materials and fluid dynamics (ICL) to dissect how these particles are generated, dispersed and influence pathological CD8 T cell immunity. Two PhD students will work in close collaboration to
 
(i) investigate tyre wear particle generation and characterisation 
(ii) define which TWPs alter APC phenotype and function, 
(iii) determine how APC-CD8 T cell interactions lead to auto-aggressive responses, and 
(iv) unravel the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.

By establishing how TWP are formed, dispersed, and promote dysregulated immune responses, this project will provide critical insight into pollutant-driven pathology at barrier tissues and inform strategies to mitigate immune-mediated tissue damage.

Brown Romero D, Finney GE, Dudek M, Pallett LJ:
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