Helicobacter pylori - cellular immunity and protection against multiple sclerosis
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of Medicine
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system (CNS), where inflammatory T-helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cell responses damage the myelin sheath of neural axons and cause neurodegeneration. The balance between these cells and anti-inflammatory regulatory T-cell (Treg) responses is important in MS development and progression.
H. pylori is a bacterial pathogen that colonises the human stomach from childhood. It is the major cause of peptic ulceration and gastric cancer, however it also induces a potent Treg response and beneficial roles have been described. We were the first to demonstrate protective effects of H. pylori against MS in a mouse model, and reported a lower prevalence of H. pylori amongst MS patients.
This project will evaluate the influence of H. pylori on MS, and investigate the immunological mechanisms. H. pylori status of MS patients will be ascertained by serology, and epidemiological analyses will compare the course of MS in infected and uninfected patients (including disability scores, relapse rates, and responsiveness to therapies). Using flow cytometry and RT-qPCR, we will quantify peripheral blood Treg, Th1 and Th17 cells and investigate differences in their homing receptor expression for migration to the gastric mucosa rather than the CNS.
H. pylori is a bacterial pathogen that colonises the human stomach from childhood. It is the major cause of peptic ulceration and gastric cancer, however it also induces a potent Treg response and beneficial roles have been described. We were the first to demonstrate protective effects of H. pylori against MS in a mouse model, and reported a lower prevalence of H. pylori amongst MS patients.
This project will evaluate the influence of H. pylori on MS, and investigate the immunological mechanisms. H. pylori status of MS patients will be ascertained by serology, and epidemiological analyses will compare the course of MS in infected and uninfected patients (including disability scores, relapse rates, and responsiveness to therapies). Using flow cytometry and RT-qPCR, we will quantify peripheral blood Treg, Th1 and Th17 cells and investigate differences in their homing receptor expression for migration to the gastric mucosa rather than the CNS.
People |
ORCID iD |
Karen Robinson (Primary Supervisor) | |
Harry Jenkins (Student) |
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MR/N013913/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2025 | |||
1833939 | Studentship | MR/N013913/1 | 01/10/2016 | 29/09/2020 | Harry Jenkins |
Description | Treg mediated remyelination in H. pylori infection |
Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Department | School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I have made contact with and proposed a collaborative study, investigating the potential regenerative role of Tregs and their secreted factors in CNS remyelination with relevance to the repair of damage in MS and EAE I will supply cells and supernatants from mouse tissues, either H. pylori infected or uninfected |
Collaborator Contribution | They will provide me a placement in their lab with full training in the use of their in vitro models, with fluorescent and TEM electron microscopy services, in addition to making available some consumables for the research |
Impact | None to date |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity is a week long festival which brings Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths out from behind closed doors and into the everyday lives of people. The festival is about inviting the people of Nottingham to share not only what they know, but also what they would like to know; it's about celebrating curiosity, asking questions and taking a leading role in finding out the answers. I presented a stall in a central Nottingham shopping centre, aiming to educate the public about "The microbes on and around us" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://nottsfosac.co.uk/ |