Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg
University Hospital Erlangen

Gastrointestinal helminths infect more than 2 billion people world-wide and cause major socioeconomic problems. The mechanisms of protective immunity against helminths are incompletely understood. Recent studies indicated that type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) contribute to protection against the gastrointestinal helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nb) in mice. To elucidate molecular mechanisms that regulate ILC2 development, homeostasis and effector functions in steady-state conditions and after Nb infection we will analyze bone marrow chimeric mice in which we modulate the responsiveness of ILC2s to external cytokines using an inducible system. In a similar way we will study the relative contribution of ILC2-derived IL-4/IL-13 for induction of STAT6-regulated genes in epithelial cells and macrophages which both can contribute to protective immunity against Nb. This project will improve the current understanding of ILC2 development, homeostasis and effector functions against helminths.


Prof. Dr. David Vöhringer
Project Leader
Cornelia Symowski
PhD student

Publications

Baerenwaldt, A., von Burg, N., Kreuzaler, M., Sitte, S., Horvath, E., Peter, A., Voehringer, D., Rolink, A.G., and Finke, D. Flt3 Ligand Regulates the Development of Innate Lymphoid Cells in Fetal and Adult mice. 2016. J Immunol 196:2561-2571

Mchedlidze, T., Kindermann, M., Turqueti-Neves, A., Voehringer, D., Neurath, M.F. and Wirtz, S. 2016. IL-27 modulates type 2 immune responses via direct effects on type 2 innate lymphoid cells. Muc. Immunol. 9:1384-1394.

Oeser, K., Maxeiner, J., Symowski, C., Stassen, M., and Voehringer, D. 2015. T cells are the critical source of IL-4/IL-13 in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Allergy 70:1440-1449.

Oeser, K. and Voehringer, D. 2015. Conditional IL-4/IL-13-deficient mice reveal a critical role of innate immune cells for protective immunity against gastrointestinal helminths. Muc. Immunol. 8:672-682.

Hams, E., Armstrong, M.E., Barlow, J.L., Saunders, S.P., Schwartz, C., Cooke, G., Fahy, R.J., Crotty, T.B., Hirani, N., Flynn, R.J., Voehringer, D., McKenzie, A.N.J., Donnelly, S.C., and Fallon, P.G. 2014. IL-25 and type 2 innate lymphoid cells induce pulmonary fibrosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111:367-372.

Mchedlidze, T., Waldner, M., Zopf, S., Walker, J., Rankin, A.L., Schuchmann, M., Voehringer, D., McKenzie, A.N.J., Neurath, M.F., Pflanz, S., and Wirtz, S. 2013. IL-33-dependent innate lymphoid cells mediate hepatic fibrosis. Immunity 39:357-371

Hoyler, T., Klose, C.S.N., Souabni, A., Turqueti-Neves, A., Pfeifer, D., Rawlins, E.L., Voehringer, D., Busslinger, M. and Diefenbach, A. 2012. The transcription factor Gata3 controls cell fate and maintenance of type 2 innate lymphoid cells. Immunity 37:634-648