CD4+ T cell Immunity in the Respiratory Tract

Tulane University Of Louisiana, New Orleans LA

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Pneumonia remains the #1 killer of children in the world and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children in the US and the #8 cause of mortality in adults. Our laboratory has made seminal insights in mechanisms underlying host defense against extracelluar pathogens – particularly in the area of type 17 cytokines –IL-17 and IL-22, and tissue resident memory CD4+ T cells. Using murine and primate respiratory tract samples we will assess the metabolic requirement of lung and nasal TRM cells and investigate if antigen exposure is required for lung term survival. We have previously shown these cells occupy a unique submucosal niche and require IL-17RC signaling in fibroblasts for function. We will determine if there are feedback loops between fibroblasts and T cell to maintain these cells and if lung TRM cells epigenetically modify lung fibroblast populations. The research proposed under this R35 will shed new light on pulmonary host defenses that can be exploited to reduce the global burden of pneumonia mortality and morbidity.