Immune Responses to Intracellular Pathogens

IFN-γ+/IL-10+ regulatory T-cells (TR1)

The common goal of these projects is to increase the knowledge about cellular immune responses in veterinary species and to improve agricultural safety and animal health. We focus on cytokine responses that are induced by different intracellular pathogens. To simultaneously detect multiple cytokines at the protein level in different host tissues, we use and develop new analytical tools for assessing stimulation of cellular immunity by intracellular pathogens.

Immune Responses to Salmonella

Salmonella infection is one of the most important zoonotic threats to humans affecting animal health and thus our food supply. Our group is currently working on two projects addressing Salmonellosis.

  1. The influence of microbiota on the host's immune response to Salmonella:
    Microbiota of the human intestine provides an important protective function against enteric pathogens. The project analyzes the interaction of normal or reduced microflora in an enteric infection model with Salmonella and the influence of the microbiota on the host immune response to Salmonella.

  2. Immune functions mediating immunity or susceptibility to chronic Salmonellosis in dairy cattle:
    We seek to identify parameters of the immune response that are associated with immunity to chronic Salmonella infection in cattle. The goal is to include these immune parameters in the development of new vaccine strategies to Salmonellosis to improve animal health and food safety.

Cytokines as Indicators of Cellular Immunity

The host immune system uses cellular and antibody mediated mechanisms that synergistically work together to attack pathogens, cure infection and provide protective long-term immunity after exposure. West Nile virus (WNV) and Equine Herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) are used to investigate immune responses to intracellular pathogens after vaccination and natural infection in horses. Our objective is to provide a rapid, reliable and cost effective system to measure the ability of new vaccines to stimulate the host's cellular immunity.

References

  1. IgG4/7 responses correlate with contraception in mares vaccinated with SpayVac

    Bechert U, Rohde J, Freer H, Wagner B

    Theriogenology. 2018 Nov;121:168-174. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.08.015. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

  2. Vaccination of horses with Lyme vaccines for dogs induces short-lasting antibody responses

    Guarino C, Asbie S, Rohde J, Glaser A, Wagner B

    Vaccine. 2017 Jul 24;35(33):4140-4147. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.06.052. Epub 2017 Jun 28.

  3. West Nile virus-specific immunoglobulin isotype responses in vaccinated and infected horses

    Khatibzadeh SM, Gold CB, Keggan AE, Perkins GA, Glaser AL, Dubovi EJ, Wagner B

    Am J Vet Res. 2015 Jan;76(1):92-100. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.76.1.92.

  4. Changes in Borrelia burgdorferi ELISA antibody over time in both antibiotic treated and untreated horses

    Divers TJ, Grice AL, Mohammed HO, Glaser AL, Wagner B

    Acta Vet Hung. 2012 Dec;60(4):421-9. doi: 10.1556/AVet.2012.036.

  5. Development of a multiplex assay for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in horses and its validation using Bayesian and conventional statistical methods

    Wagner B, Freer H, Rollins A, Erb HN, Lu Z, Gröhn Y

    Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2011 Dec 15;144(3-4):374-81. doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2011.08.005. Epub 2011 Aug 17.