Effects of the Streptococcus pneumoniae capsule on interactions with macrophages and during early lung infection

肺炎链球菌（也称为肺炎球菌）是一种细菌，是肺炎和脑膜炎等严重疾病的常见原因。肺炎球菌能够引起严重感染的一个原因是它被一层由糖制成的物质包裹，称为胶囊。这种胶囊似乎就像一层盔甲，阻止免疫系统杀死细菌，从而使细菌成功入侵人体。虽然人们认为这种胶囊可以阻止白色细胞摆脱肺炎球菌，但令人惊讶的是，人们对这种胶囊如何掩盖或保护肺炎球菌免受人体免疫系统不同方面的侵害知之甚少。该项目的目的是精确地研究胶囊如何帮助肺炎球菌引起疾病，特别是肺炎，这是它引起的最常见的严重疾病。我们将确定哪些蛋白质在白色细胞表面被阻止识别肺炎球菌的胶囊，以及这种失败的后果是什么，以正确识别细菌的免疫反应和肺部感染的发展。由于目前使用的所有针对肺炎球菌的疫苗都依赖于使用胶囊，因此关于胶囊在感染期间的功能的更详细信息将是有帮助的。此外，所获得的信息可能允许设计针对肺炎球菌的新的有效疗法，并且将提供关于肺炎球菌如何能够甚至在先前健康的个体中引起肺炎的更详细的信息。

Streptococcus pneumoniae (also known as the pneumococcus) is a bacteria that is a common cause of severe diseases like pneumonia and meningitis. One reason why pneumococcus is able to cause severe infections is that it is coated with a layer of material made of sugars that is called the capsule. This capsule seems to act like a coat of armour, preventing the immune system from killing the bacteria and thereby allowing the bacteria to successfully invade the body. Although it is thought the capsule prevents white cells from getting rid of the pneumococcus, surprisingly little is known on exactly how the capsule disguises or protects the pneumococcus from different aspects of the bodies immune system. The aim of this project is to investigate precisely how the capsule helps the pneumococcus cause disease in particular pneumonia, the commonest severe disease it causes. We will identify which proteins on the white cell surface are prevented from recognising the pneumococcus by the capsule, and what are the consequences of this failure to identify properly the bacteria for the immune response and development of lung infection. As all vaccines against the pneumococcus that are in use at present rely on using the capsule, more detailed information on the functions of the capsule during infection will be helpful. Furthermore, the information obtained may allow the design of new effective therapies against the pneumococcus, and will provide more detailed information on how the pneumococcus is able to cause pneumonia even in previously healthy individuals.