Zhang, Lin2014-03-142014-03-142008-08-29etd-09052008-130704http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34931Interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase -1 is a protein kinase pivotal in mediating signals for innate immune responses. Here, I report that IRAK-1 also regulates cell-mediated immune responses. NFATc2 (nuclear factor of activated T cells) was found to be associated with IRAK-1 in T cells in vitro and its activity was elevated in the absence of IRAK-1. In addition, IRAK-1-/- mice had increased naturally occurring regulatory T cells and inducible regulatory T cells as well as Th1 responses as compared to WT mice. The findings suggest that activated T cells might employ IRAK-1 to mediate the regulation of acquired immunity. Therefore, IRAK-1 may participate in direct signaling cross talk between the innate and the acquired immunity.In CopyrightNFATc2adaptive immunityIRAK-1Foxp3signal transductionThesishttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09052008-130704/