Description:

Department of Microbiology-Immunology Seminar Series

"CD1d-Restricted Natural Killer T Cell Response to Methicilllin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection"

Samantha Genardi, Graduate Student, DGP Program, Lab of Chyung-Ru Wang, PhD

Description:

Natural killer T cells (NKT cells), restricted by the MHC class I-like molecule CD1d, play critical roles in early host defense to bacterial infections. The T cell response to Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infection has been a focus of interest in the field since the failure of therapies targeting antibody-mediated B cell responses to SA in clinical trials, yet basic mechanistic understanding of T cell function during systemic SA infection is unknown. Here we explore the role of NKT cells during systemic infection with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. Dependence of NKT cells for cytokine production and bacterial burden control at early times post infection will be discussed. In addition, using lipid isolation and fractionation from the cell membrane of SA, we identify novel lipid fractions recognized by NKT cells isolated from SA infected mice that produce Th1 cytokine in a CD1d-dependent manner.