(taken from application) This application outlines the research and career plan proposed by Dr. Melanie Sherman concerning the investigation of the role of mast cells in immunity to extracellular pathogens. These microbes typically induce a Th2-type immune response, which is characterized by the generation of an effective antibody response against bacterial and parasitic antigens. The cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4) is essential for this process. Dr. Sherman investigated the pathway involved in the presentation of microbial pathogens to T cells for her graduate work; during her postdoctoral fellowship she explored the cell-specific regulation of IL-4 expression. IL-4 is strictly controlled, in fact only a subset of T cells and cells of the mast cell/basophilic lineage express this cytokine. Although T cells require prior exposure to IL-4 in order to acquire an IL-4-producing phenotype, Dr. Sherman discovered that mast cell IL-4 production is much less discriminate. It is possible that the release of IL-4 from mast cells early at an early stage of infection can induce or expand T cells for an effective late-phase Th2 response. Too much IL-4 can cause tissue damage, however, so the transcription of excess IL-4 by mast cells appears to be controlled by a negative feedback loop involving a mast cell-specific isoform of the transcription factor STAT6. In this application experiments are proposed to clone and characterized this STAT6 isoform, to determine the cellular signaling events leading to its activation, and to explore the effect of mast cell IL-4 on Th2 differentiation. This research will be performed at Emory University which houses state-of-the-art facilities and programs that foster interactions with other researchers, including the outstanding scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01AR002157-03
Application #
6512008
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAR1-TLB-B (J4))
Program Officer
Gretz, Elizabeth
Project Start
2000-04-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2002-04-01
Budget End
2003-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$107,735
Indirect Cost
Name
Emory University
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
042250712
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30322
Chaluvadi, Madhusudana R; Kinloch, Ryan D; Nyagode, Beatrice A et al. (2009) Regulation of hepatic cytochrome P450 expression in mice with intestinal or systemic infections of citrobacter rodentium. Drug Metab Dispos 37:366-74
Lebeis, Sarah L; Sherman, Melanie A; Kalman, Daniel (2008) Protective and destructive innate immune responses to enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and related A/E pathogens. Future Microbiol 3:315-28
Lebeis, Sarah L; Bommarius, Bettina; Parkos, Charles A et al. (2007) TLR signaling mediated by MyD88 is required for a protective innate immune response by neutrophils to Citrobacter rodentium. J Immunol 179:566-77
Richardson, Terrilyn A; Sherman, Melanie; Kalman, Daniel et al. (2006) Expression of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoform mRNAs during inflammation and infection in mouse liver and kidney. Drug Metab Dispos 34:351-3
Richardson, Terrilyn A; Sherman, Melanie; Antonovic, Leposava et al. (2006) Hepatic and renal cytochrome p450 gene regulation during citrobacter rodentium infection in wild-type and toll-like receptor 4 mutant mice. Drug Metab Dispos 34:354-60
Wei, Olivia L; Hilliard, Ashley; Kalman, Daniel et al. (2005) Mast cells limit systemic bacterial dissemination but not colitis in response to Citrobacter rodentium. Infect Immun 73:1978-85
Sherman, Melanie A; Powell, Doris R; Brown, Melissa A (2002) IL-4 induces the proteolytic processing of mast cell STAT6. J Immunol 169:3811-8
Sherman, M A (2001) The role of STAT6 in mast cell IL-4 production. Immunol Rev 179:48-56