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Principal Investigator: Dr. Susana Mendez
Contact Information: E-mail: sm457@cornell.edu - Phone: 607-256-5624
Sponsor: President's Council of Cornell Women
Grant Number: N/A
Title: Study of the Immunomodulatory Effect of the Hookworm Molecule Ac-TMP in the Intestinal Mucosa
Annual Direct Cost: $12,500
Project Period: 06/01/07-05/31/08
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this study is to determine whether the molecule Ac-TMP, secreted by the adult hookworm, a helminth parasite, has immunomodulatory properties. My hypothesis is that when parasites are feeding attached to the gut mucosa they release the antigen Ac-TMP into the tissue. This molecule taken up by local dendritic cells that produce tolerogenic signals to induce expansion of CD4+T cells subsets with a regulatory function, resulting in the immunosuppression of the host.
The study of immunomodulating molecules derived from parasites will confirm whether active helminth infections reduce efficacy of conventional vaccines and/or promote susceptibility to HIV infection, malaria or tuberculosis. Furthermore, the study of the mechanism(s) by which parasites manipulate the immune response is of interest not only for direct application on the development of anthelminitic strategies, but also for the development of novel anti-inflammatory products for patients suffering from specific inflammatory, autoimmune or allergic disorders.
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