Patrick M. Schlievert, Ph.D.
Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1976 |
Professor and Head of Microbiology Campus address: 3-403 BSB Mailing address: 51 Newton Rd. 3-403 Bowen Science Building Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: 319-335-7807 Email: |
Molecular Pathogenesis, Drug Discovery, and Immunology; Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococci and Enterococci
Research in my laboratory studies superantigen and cytolysin exotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus and group A streptococci, as immune system modulators, evaluating their roles in serious human illnesses, including pneumonia and infectious endocarditis. Included in the larger family of superantigens are toxic-shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), the major cause of TSS; staphylococcal enterotoxins, causes of food poisoning and TSS; and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins, causes of scarlet fever and a TSS-like illness. Additionally, my laboratory identifies novel strategies to prevent and manage serious human infectious diseases. Specific areas of ongoing research include: 1) elucidation of the mechanisms of cytolysin and superantigen subversion of the immune system at mucosal surfaces; 2) structure-function studies of novel superantigens; 3) development of novel therapeutic agents to prevent infections and treat serious human diseases; 4) characterization of staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal factors required for development of TSS, pneumonia, infectious endocarditis, and selected other illnesses; 5) characterization of the pathogenesis of novel human illnesses associated with gram-positive bacteria.
Recent publications
Malachowa N, Kohler PL, Schlievert PM, Chuang ON, Dunny GM, Kobayashi SD, Miedzobrodzki J, Bohach GA, Seo KS. 2011. Characterization of a Staphylococcus aureus surface virulence factor that promotes resistance to oxidative killing and infectious endocarditis. Infect. Immun. 79:342-52.
Broccardo CJ, Mahaffey S, Schwarz J, Wruck L, David G, Schlievert PM, Reisdorph NA, Leung DY. 2011. Comparative proteomic profiling of patients with atopic dermatitis based on history of eczema herpeticum infection and Staphylococcus aureus colonization. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 127:186-93.
Brosnahan AJ, Schlievert PM. Gram positive bacterial superantigen outside-in signaling causes toxic shock syndrome. FEBS J. 2011. Epub ahead of print PubMed PMID: 21535475.
Schlievert PM, Strandberg KL, Lin YC, Peterson ML, Leung DY. 2010. Secreted virulence factor comparison between methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and its relevance to atopic dermatitis. J. Allergy. Clin. Immunol. 125:39-49.
Huseby MJ, Kruse AC, Digre J, Kohler PL, Vocke JA, Mann EE, Bayles KW, Bohach GA, Schlievert PM, Ohlendorf DH, Earhart CA. 2010. Beta toxin catalyzes formation of nucleoprotein matrix in staphylococcal biofilms. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 107:14407-12.
Wang N, Mattis DM, Sundberg EJ, Schlievert PM, Kranz DM. 2010. A single, engineered protein therapeutic agent neutralizes exotoxins from both Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 17:1781-9.
Strandberg KL, Rotschafer JH, Vetter SM, Buonpane RA, Kranz DM, Schlievert PM. 2010. Staphylococcal superantigens cause lethal pulmonary disease in rabbits. J. Infect. Dis. 202:1690-7.
Schlievert PM, Nemeth KA, Davis CC, Peterson ML, Jones BE. 2010. Staphylococcus aureus exotoxins are present in vivo in tampons. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 17:722-7.
Schlievert PM. 2009. Cytolysins, superantigens, and pneumonia due to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J. Infect. Dis. 200:676-8.
Lin Y-C, Schlievert PM, Anderson MJ, Fair CL, Schaefers MM, Muthyala R, Peterson ML. 2009. Glycerol monolaurate and dodecylglycerol effects on Staphylococcus aureus and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 in vitro and in vivo. PLoS One. 20094:e7499.
Strandberg KL, Peterson ML, Schaefers MM, Case LC, Pack MC, Chase DJ, Schlievert PM. 2009. Reduction in Staphylococcus aureus growth and exotoxin production and in vaginal interleukin 8 levels due to glycerol monolaurate in tampons. Clin. Infect. Dis. 49:1711-7.
Chuang ON, Schlievert PM, Wells CL, Manias DA, Tripp TJ, Dunny GM. 2009. Multiple functional domains of Enterococcus faecalis aggregation substance Asc10 contribute to endocarditis virulence. Infect. Immun. 77:539-48.
Li Q, Estes JD, Schlievert PM, Duan L, Brosnahan AJ, Southern PJ, Reilly CS, Peterson ML, Schultz-Darken N, Brunner KG, Nephew KR, Pambuccian S, Lifson JD, Carlis JV, Haase AT. 2009. Glycerol monolaurate prevents mucosal SIV transmission. Nature. 458:1034-8.
Assimacopoulos AP, Strandberg KL, Rotschafer JH, Schlievert PM. 2009. Extreme pyrexia and rapid death due to Staphylococcus aureus infection: analysis of two cases. Clin. Infect. Dis. 48:612-4.
Brosnahan, AJ, Mantz MJ, Squier CA, Peterson ML, Schlievert PM. 2009. Cytolysins augment superantigen penetration of stratified mucosa. J.Immunol. 182:2364-2373.