A5032872956- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Gut microbiota and health
- Glutathione Transferases and Polymorphisms
- Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Helminth infection and control
- Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Amoebic Infections and Treatments
- Drug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
- Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
University of Victoria
2017-2025
Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre
2013-2024
University of British Columbia
2013-2024
Boston Children's Hospital
2024
Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution
2014-2015
University of Edinburgh
2011-2015
Institute of Immunology
2014
Upsher-Smith Laboratories (United Kingdom)
2014
Ashworth College
2014
Northwestern University
1967
The intestinal microbiota are pivotal in determining the developmental, metabolic and immunological status of mammalian host. However, tract may also accommodate pathogenic organisms, including helminth parasites which highly prevalent most tropical countries. Both microbes helminths must evade or manipulate host immune system to reside environment, yet whether they influence each other’s persistence remains unknown. We now show that abundance Lactobacillus bacteria correlates positively...
Abstract Environmental enteropathy (EE) is a subclinical chronic inflammatory disease of the small intestine and has profound impact on persistence childhood malnutrition worldwide. However, aetiology remains unknown no animal model exists to date, creation which would aid in understanding this complex disease. Here we demonstrate that early-life consumption moderately malnourished diet, combination with iterative oral exposure commensal Bacteroidales species Escherichia coli , remodels...
Blastocystis is the most prevalent protist of human intestine, colonizing approximately 20% North American population and up to 100% in some nonindustrialized settings. associated with gastrointestinal systemic disease but can also be an asymptomatic colonizer large populations. While recent findings humans have shown bacterial microbiota changes this protist, it unknown whether these occur due presence or as a result inflammation. To explore this, we evaluated fecal eukaryotic 156 adult...
Over 25% of the world's population are infected with helminth parasites, majority which colonise gastrointestinal tract. However, no vaccine is yet available for human use, and mechanisms protective immunity remain unclear. In mouse model Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection, vaccination excretory-secretory (HES) antigens from adult parasites elicits sterilising immunity. Notably, three purified HES (VAL-1, -2 -3) sufficient effective vaccination. Protection fully dependent upon specific IgG1...
Significance To date, inadequate analytical methods have severely limited our ability to understand virulence strategies used by intracellular bacterial pathogens evade reactive oxygen species (ROS) during infection. We developed a system that is based on redox-sensitive GFP for real-time and nondisruptive measurement of redox stress experienced Salmonella inside phagocytic cells. Using this system, we directly report intrabacterial dynamics infection macrophages. This biosensor, which can...
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria provides protection against toxic molecules, including reactive oxygen species (ROS). Decreased OM permeability can promote bacterial survival under harsh circumstances and protects antibiotics. To better understand the regulation permeability, we studied real-time influx hydrogen peroxide in Salmonella discovered two novel mechanisms by which they rapidly control permeability. We found that pores major proteins, OmpA OmpC, could be opened or...
Helminth infection is frequently associated with the expansion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and suppression immune responses to bystander antigens. We show that mice chronic gastrointestinal helminth Heligmosomoides polygyrus drives rapid polyclonal Foxp3(+)Helios(+)CD4(+) thymic (t)Tregs in lamina propria mesenteric lymph nodes while Foxp3(+)Helios(-)CD4(+) peripheral (p)Treg expand more slowly. Notably, partially resistant BALB/c parasite survival positively correlates tTreg numbers....
Intestinal helminth infections occur predominantly in regions where exposure to enteric bacterial pathogens is also common. Helminth inhibit host immunity against microbial pathogens, which has largely been attributed the induction of regulatory or type 2 (Th2) immune responses. Here we demonstrate an additional 3-way interaction infection alters metabolic environment intestine enhance pathogenicity. We show that ongoing increased colonization by Salmonella independently T Th2 cells....
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a highly aggressive form of the disease for which new therapeutic options are desperately needed. Previously, we showed that high-affinity peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonist, RS5444, inhibits cell proliferation ATC cells via induction cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) (p21). We show here up-regulation RhoB critical step in PPARgamma-mediated activation p21-induced stasis. Using multiple independently...
Vascular pathology is associated with cognitive impairment in diseases such as type 1 diabetes; however, how capillary flow affected and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here we show that capillaries diabetic mouse brain both sexes are prone to stalling, blocks consisting primarily of erythrocytes branches off ascending venules. Screening for circulating inflammatory cytokines revealed persistently high levels interleukin-10 (IL-10) mice. Contrary expectation, stimulating IL-10...
Abstract The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ where major types of T lymphocytes undergo essential developmental processes. Eosinophils are among the cell present in microenvironments within thymus, and perhaps surprisingly, role thymic eosinophils, especially during homeostatic conditions, remains unclear. Major physiological events impact organization function throughout life: including age-related involution, pregnancy, exposure to chemotherapy or radiation. In this Review, we summarize...
Abstract Background Parasitic worm (helminth) infections significantly contribute to human morbidity, with nearly one fifth of the global population chronically infected. Our lab has shown that levels short chain fatty acid isovalerate are increased during a murine intestinal helminth infection and supplementation increases fecundity, implying fitness. Aims research aims elucidate potential immunomodulatory impact enteric infection. Methods Using small intestinal-colonizing mouse roundworm,...
Abstract Background Oral tolerance is the active suppression of immune responses to antigens that are first encountered in gut. When this process fails, food allergies or celiac disease can arise. develops largely early life, but despite it has historically been studied using adult rodent models. Aims Our research aims develop a robust mouse model elucidate mechanisms oral development life. Methods Mice were orally gavaged with ovalbumin (OVA) as antigen water control an pre-weaning window...
Helminth parasites remain one of the most common causes infections worldwide, yet little is still known about immune signaling pathways that control their expulsion. C57BL/6 mice are chronically susceptible to infection with gastrointestinal helminth parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus. In this article, we report lacking adapter protein MyD88, which mediates by TLRs and IL-1 family members, showed enhanced immunity H. polygyrus infection. Alongside increased expulsion, MyD88-deficient...
Multiple factors control susceptibility of C57BL/6 mice to infection with the helminth Heligmosomoides polygyrus, including TGF-β signaling, which inhibits immunity in vivo. However, expressing a T cell-specific dominant-negative receptor II (TGF-βRII DN) show dampened Th2 and diminished resistance infection. Interestingly, H. polygyrus-infected TGF-βRII DN greater frequencies CD4(+)Foxp3(+)Helios(+) Tregs than infected wild-type mice, but levels CD103 are greatly reduced on both these cells...