French Lab
Natural killer cells play a crucial role in anti-pathogen host defense and are particularly important in mediating resistance to viral infections. Abnormalities in either NK cell numbers and/or function have also been consistently identified in a number of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Our laboratory focuses on understanding in vivo NK responses by studying NK cells during viral infections. Murine resistance to two herpesviruses, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and herpes simplex virus- type 1 (HSV-1), as well as to the poxvirus ectromelia has been genetically mapped to the natural killer gene complex on mouse chromosome 6 which encodes a substantial fraction of the mouse NK cell receptors.
Using MCMV as well as with HSV-1 and a prototypical poxvirus, vaccinia, we are addressing the following research aims:
- Characterizing the in vivo proliferative responses of natural killer (NK) cells during viral infections with particular focus on the contributions of IFN?/?, IL-15, and IL-18.
- Understanding the homeostasis of NK cells in mice following viral infections.
- Exploiting the immunoevasion of DNA viruses in immunocompromised hosts to delineate novel innate immune responses including NK cell interactions with viral encoded proteins.
- Determining the specific NK cell activation receptors involved in NK cell mediated resistance to large DNA viruses such as vaccinia and herpes simplex virus
French Lab
Natural killer cells play a crucial role in anti-pathogen host defense and are particularly important in mediating resistance to viral infections. Abnormalities in either NK cell numbers and/or function have also been consistently identified in a number of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Our laboratory focuses on understanding in vivo NK responses by studying NK cells during viral infections. Murine resistance to two herpesviruses, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and herpes simplex virus- type 1 (HSV-1), as well as to the poxvirus ectromelia has been genetically mapped to the natural killer gene complex on mouse chromosome 6 which encodes a substantial fraction of the mouse NK cell receptors.
Using MCMV as well as with HSV-1 and a prototypical poxvirus, vaccinia, we are addressing the following research aims:
- Characterizing the in vivo proliferative responses of natural killer (NK) cells during viral infections with particular focus on the contributions of IFN?/?, IL-15, and IL-18.
- Understanding the homeostasis of NK cells in mice following viral infections.
- Exploiting the immunoevasion of DNA viruses in immunocompromised hosts to delineate novel innate immune responses including NK cell interactions with viral encoded proteins.
- Determining the specific NK cell activation receptors involved in NK cell mediated resistance to large DNA viruses such as vaccinia and herpes simplex virus