Interaction of the Xenopus Immune System with an Emerging Ranavirus Pathogen

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。Jacques RobertIOS-0923772非洲爪哇免疫系统与一种新出现的RanaVirus病原体的相互作用两栖动物正在世界范围内减少；某些物种正在灭绝。我们知道一些物种的灭绝与某些病毒病原体有关，但我们不知道为什么它们的免疫系统没有保护它们。如果两栖动物的灭绝部分反映了免疫抑制的自然或人为环境变化，那么对这些环境因素的认识对于重新建立人类和青蛙健康的生态平衡是必要的。本项目以非洲爪蛙为实验模型，继续从分子、细胞和整个生物体水平研究病毒免疫机制。研究人员将详细研究T细胞在保护青蛙免受后续感染方面的作用。免疫监测的重要性也将通过产生转基因青蛙和过度表达重要的免疫基因在整个生物体中进行评估。最后，将研究腹膜腔免疫细胞在帮助宿主免疫反应以及作为允许隐蔽感染的病毒宿主方面的双重作用。该项目将有助于更好地从根本上了解病毒免疫的进化。它将对宿主免疫作为新出现的病毒疾病的易感因素的重要性提供最接近和最现实的评估，特别是在全球两栖动物数量下降的情况下。本研究也可能为探索野生两栖动物种群的病毒感染提供实用的方法。了解两栖动物衰落的原因符合公众利益，并可能揭示保护濒临灭绝的两栖动物物种免受传染病侵袭的实用方法。最后，该项目将为高中生、本科生和研究生，包括未被充分代表的少数群体，提供学习病毒性疾病背景下的基础免疫学的机会，并学习现代分子和细胞技术。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Jacques RobertIOS-0923772Interaction of The Xenopus Immune System With An Emerging Ranavirus PathogeniAmphibians are undergoing a world-wide decline; certain species are becoming extinct. We know that die-offs of some species are associated with certain viral pathogens, but we do not know why their immune systems are not protecting them. If amphibian die-offs partially reflect natural or man-made environmental changes that are immunosuppressive, awareness of these environmental factors are necessary to re-establish ecological balance for the health of man and frogs, alike. This project uses the frog Xenopus as a laboratory model to continue to investigate the mechanisms of viral immunity at the molecular, cellular and whole organism level. The investigators will examine in detail the role of T cells in protecting the frog against subsequent infections. The importance of immune surveillance will also be evaluated in the whole organism by generating transgenic frogs and over-expressing important immune genes. Finally, the dual roles of immune cells of the peritoneal cavity in helping the host immune response as well as serving as permissive viral reservoir allowing covert infection will be investigated. This project will contribute to a better fundamental understanding of the evolution of viral immunity. It will provide the closest and most realistic assessment of the importance of host immunity as a susceptibility factor contributing in emerging viral diseases in general, and in the global decline of amphibians, in particular. This study may also provide practical methods to probe viral infection in wild population of amphibians. Understanding the causes of amphibian decline is of public interest, and may reveal pratical ways to protect endangered amphibian species from infectious agents. Finally, this project will offer opportunity for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented minorities, to study fundamental immunology in the context of viral diseases, and to learn modern molecular and cellular techniques.