Joshua Stoolman
e-mail address: jsto@umich.edu

Mentor: Benjamin Segal, MD

Research Description

In adoptive transfer models of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), transfer of WT T-cells specific for the myelin epitope, Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG), into WT mice causes inflammation primarily in the spinal chord. This results in an ascending paralysis in the mice. Adoptive transfers of MOG-specific T-cells from IFNg KO mice into WT mice or WT MOG-specific T-cells into IFNg receptor KO mice results in balance issues beginning with a tilt of the head or leaning to one side often progressing to a 'spinning,' phenotype where the mice continuously spin in one direction on the axis of the head to tail. Since myelinated tracts in distinct regions of the CNS serve distinct functions, we hypothesize that the loss of IFNg changes the localization of inflammation and demyelination to tracts critical for maintaining appropriate balance. My project centers around finding specific mechanisms that explain how IFNg influences the localization of inflammation in adoptive transfer models EAE.

 

Publications

Stoolman, J. S., Vannella, K. M., Coomes, S. M., Wilke, C. A., Sisson, T. H., Toews, G. B., & Moore, B. B. (2011). Latent infection by γherpesvirus stimulates profibrotic mediator release from multiple cell types American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology, 300(2), L274–85. doi:10.1152/ajplung.00028.2010.

Bauman, K. A., Wettlaufer, S. H., Okunishi, K., Vannella, K. M., Stoolman, J. S., Huang, S. K., Courey, A. J., et al. (2010). The antifibrotic effects of plasminogen activation occur via prostaglandin E2 synthesis in humans and mice The Journal of clinical investigation, 120(6), 1950–1960. doi:10.1172/JCI38369.

Franchi, L., Stoolman, J., Kanneganti, T.-D., Verma, A., Ramphal, R., & Núñez, G. (2007). Critical role for Ipaf in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced caspase-1 activation European journal of immunology, 37(11), 3030–3039. doi:10.1002/eji.200737532.

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Abstracts

Awards