MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London

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Infections and Immunity

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Andreas Wack group

Immune response to influenza

Seasonal influenza represents a constant burden to public health, and influenza pandemics caused by new virus strains pose a serious global threat. The influenza virus causes damage to the infected lung tissue and induces an immune response which is necessary to eliminate the virus but contributes to lung pathology. Which factors tip the balance between damage or death versus successful clearance of the virus with no long term damage is not completely known.

Our work aims to identify which features of the virus and host determine the outcome of disease. We focus on early events after infection, and in particular on the interface between the infected epithelium and the immune system. We have established a culture system of mouse airway epithelium and use this in co-culture with innate immune cells to dissect cellular cross-talk after infection with a variety of influenza virus strains. Complemented by in vivo studies, this approach will allow us to identify early events that pave the way for immune-mediated pathology or protection.

Mouse airway epithelial cultures stained with the tight junction protein ZO-1 (green) and the cilia constituent beta tubulin IV (magenta).

Selected publications

Crotta, S; Brazzoli, M; Piccioli, D; Valiante, NM and Wack, A (2010)
Hepatitis C virions subvert natural killer cell activation to generate a cytokine environment permissive for infection.
Journal of Hepatology 52, 183-190 PubMed abstract
Pesce, I; Monaci, E; Muzzi, A; Tritto, E; Tavarini, S; Nuti, S; De Gregorio, E and Wack, A (2010)
Intranasal administration of CpG induces a rapid and transient cytokine response followed by dendritic and natural killer cell activation and recruitment in the mouse lung.
Journal of Innate Immunity 2, 144-159 PubMed abstract
Gallorini, S; Berti, F; Mancuso, G; Cozzi, R; Tortoli, M; Volpini, G; Telford, JL; Beninati, C; Maione, D and Wack, A (2009)
Toll-like receptor 2 dependent immunogenicity of glycoconjugate vaccines containing chemically derived zwitterionic polysaccharides.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106, 17481-17486 PubMed abstract
Piccioli, D; Sammicheli, C; Tavarini, S; Nuti, S; Frigimelica, E; Manetti, AGO; Nuccitelli, A; Aprea, S; Valentini, S; Borgogni, E; Wack, A and Valiante, NM (2009)
Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells are unresponsive to bacterial stimulation and require a novel type of cooperation with myeloid dendritic cells for maturation.
Blood 113, 4232-4239 PubMed abstract
De Gregorio, E; D'Oro, U and Wack, A (2009)
Immunology of TLR-independent vaccine adjuvants
Current Opinion in Immunology 21, 339-345 PubMed abstract
Seubert, A; Monaci, E; Pizza, M; O'Hagan, DT and Wack, A (2008)
The adjuvants aluminum hydroxide and MF59 induce monocyte and granulocyte chemoattractants and enhance monocyte differentiation toward dendritic cells.
Journal of Immunology 180, 5402-5412 PubMed abstract