JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Grant: $205,000 - National Institutes of Health - Aug. 1, 2009
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Award Description: A. phagocytophilum and NF-kB signaling. This project will investigate how Anaplasma phagocytophilum influences proinflammatory cellular mechanisms by impacting NF-kB activation. The specific pre-nuclear mechanisms targeted in the generation of active NF-k will be identified by inhibitor and gene silencing approaches. This will be done by targeting the NF-kB signaling pathway post-surface cell receptors and pre-nuclear, and by both classical and canonical, as well as non-classical pathways. Studies will be accomplished to determine which genes and gene products related to NF-kB signaling are regulated during infection, and the impact of their absence or inhibition on the functions of an A.phagocytophilim-infected neutrophil will be determined.
Project Description: It is anticipated that by identifying the targets of A. phagocytophilum in the NF-kB signaling pathway that putative effectors from the bacterium that influence host cell function could be eventually found. Moreover, these studies will allow a linkage between specific molecular events permuted with A.phagocytophilum infection in granulocytes or neutrophils and the functional abnormalities that benefit bacterial survival. This will help by 1) defining specific molecular targets in the host cell of A.phagocytophilum; 2) focusing attention on important signaling pathways and how disruption affects established neutrophil functions in uninfected and infected cells; and help to identify bacterial effectors that impact these pathways and could be targeted for novel infection therapeutics, even for therapeutics for non-infectious inflammatory disease processes.
Jobs Summary: No jobs were created or retained. (Total jobs reported: 0)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Aug. 1, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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