Award details

Studentship: Investigation of the interaction of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses with dend. cells implications for pathogenesis and immunity

Reference	BBS/E/I/00002116
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Simon Graham
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr GRAHAM FREIMANIS, Dr Graham Freimanis
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	49,877
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	05/10/2015
End date	31/03/2017
Duration	17 months

Abstract

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is arguably the most important disease of pigs with a huge economic impact globally. The PRRS virus (PRRSV) is rapidly evolving and this is dramatically illustrated by the emergence of highly pathogenic variants in South East Asia [1] and Eastern Europe [2]. There is an urgent need for the development of safer and more efficacious vaccines to improve PRRS control. An improved understanding of the interactions of PRRSV with the immune system would aid the development of the next generation of PRRSV vaccines or novel intervention strategies. To address this need, this project focuses on characterising the interaction of PRRSV with dendritic cells (DCs), a family of specialised cells that play a central role in linking the innate and the adaptive immune systems. The project will test the hypothesis that increased PRRSV virulence is associated with an enhanced capacity to infect and dysregulate the function of porcine DCs. This will be addressed through the following specific objectives: 1. Compare the susceptibility of defined porcine DC populations to in vitro infection with PRRSV strains spanning a spectrum of pathogenicity. 2. To assess the effects PRRSV strains of differing virulence on the phenotype and function of DC in vitro. 3. To conduct RNA-seq analysis of infected DC to assess global differential gene expression and modulation of host cell response pathways by PRRSV. 4. To use an ex vivo organ explant culture to assess whether enhanced DC infection and modulation of responses also occurs in a key target organ, the tonsil

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Animal Health, Immunology, Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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