The role of neutrophils in viral respiratory infections
Description: Respiratory viruses such as influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause severe lower respiratory tract infections. Whether disease is caused by the virus or by host-driven immunopathology is not fully understood. Neutrophils are classically considered as the first responders to an inflammatory trigger. During RSV and influenza virus infection neutrophils infiltrate the lung in vast numbers, however the role of neutrophils in viral defense versus their potential to mediate immunopathology is unclear. In this study, we want to investigate the role of these innate cells in the lungs during RSV and influenza virus infection to determine how they influence viral load, disease progression and severity in vivo. We will investigate neutrophil recruitment and activation in the lungs using pattern recognition receptor signaling knockout mice; Mavs-/- and Myd88/Trif-/-mice. Additionally, we will investigate the mechanisms by which neutrophils may be directly anti-viral in the lungs during infection e.g. by phagocytosis, oxidative burst, the production of neutrophil extracellular traps and/or cytokine and chemokine production. Furthermore, we will investigate how neutrophils affect the recruitment and activation of alveolar macrophages, monocytes, natural killer cells and T cells during RSV and influenza virus infection and how this influences disease outcome.
Funder: Wellcome Trust
Amount: £220,200
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: PhD Studentship (Basic)
Start date: 2015-10-01
End date: 2019-09-30
Investigator: Miss Freja Cordelia M?Ller Cordelia Møller Kirsebom
Institution: Imperial College London
Funded outputs count: 10
Funder award ID: 109058/Z/15/Z
OpenAlex ID: G7870926722