Understanding the role of MAIT cells in protection from microbial infections

Summary In collaboration with microbiologists and clinicians we have set up a number of infection models in mice relevant to human diseases. By comparing the pathogen burden in Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cell deficient versus competent mice we determine in each model whether MAIT cells are protective.

Project Details

There are very few studies that have investigated the role of MAIT cells in protection to microbial infections. In collaboration with microbiologists and clinicians we have set up a number of infection models in mice relevant to human diseases. By comparing the pathogen burden in MAIT cell deficient versus competent mice we determine in each model whether MAIT cells are protective. Using MAIT cell specific tetramers, developed originally in our laboratory, we characterise the frequency and function of MAIT cells by a range of flow cytometry-based techniques. Pathogenesis is assessed by histology. Such analysis provides an insight in the underlying mechanisms of protection, which are also determined in protection experiments with mice knocked-out for specific immune mediators. Microbial infection models include viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens. They are also complemented with human in vitro models of infection and where possible with experiments on samples from patients. As part of this project it is possible to focus only on human in vitro models of infection (and patient samples) or mouse work.