“Do T cells underlie sex differnces in blood pressure control?”

Jen Sullivan, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology, Augusta University.
Title: “Do T cells underlie sex differences in blood pressure control?”, presented March 6, 11-12, Lib 110. The overall goal of Dr. Sullivan’s laboratory is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate blood pressure in males and females under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, including hypertension. There is increasing evidence supporting a role for the immune system in contributing to the development and maintenance of hypertension. However, the majority of the studies forming the basis for our understanding of immune control of blood pressure has been performed entirely in males. As half of the hypertensive population is females, our lab has been actively investigating the role of immune cell activation in the control of blood pressure in females vs. males. In particular, Dr. Sullivan’s laboratory have found that females have more anti-inflammatory T regulatory cells (Tregs) than males. This seminar will center around this finding with the goals of providing insight into sex differences in T cells in hypertension, why they may occur, and the physiological implications for blood pressure control.