Steven M. Varga, Ph.D.
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1999 |
Associate Professor of Microbiology Campus address: 3-532 BSB Mailing address: 51 Newton Rd. 3-532 Bowen Science Building Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: 319-335-7784 Email: |
Viral Immunology and Immunopathology
My laboratory is interested in studying the contribution of virus-specific T lymphocytes to enhanced disease and immunopathology during virus infection. Our laboratory studies the mouse model of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in young children worldwide. An experimental RSV vaccine developed in the United States during the 1960's led to exacerbated disease in vaccinated infants on subsequent natural infection. It is believed that the immune system was largely responsible for the enhanced disease exhibited by the vaccinated children. We are currently studying the mechanisms by which virus-specific CD4 T cells mediate damage within the infected lung as well as their role in causing systemic illness.
Our work has recently demonstrated that the vast majority of epitope-specific CD4 T cells express a conserved Vb14 T cell receptor and that mice depleted of these cells in vivo fail to develop enhanced disease following experimental RSV infection. In a related series of studies, we are examining the peptide specificities of the virus-specific CD4 T cells and determining which factors contribute to the development of virus-specific Th1 and Th2 CD4 T cells in vivo. The goal of our studies is to gain a better understanding of the immune determinants that lead to RSV vaccine-enhanced disease so that safer and more effective vaccines can be developed in the future.
Varga Lab Home Page
Recent publications
Weiss, K.A., A.F. Christiaansen, R.B. Fulton, D.K. Meyerholz, and S.M. Varga. 2011. Multiple CD4+ T cell subsets produce immunomodulatory interleukin-10 during respiratory syncytial virus infection. Journal of Immunology. 187: 3145-3154.
Fulton, R.B., D.K. Meyerholz, and S.M. Varga. 2010. Foxp3+ CD4 regulatory T cells limit pulmonary immunopathology by modulating the CD8 T cell response during respiratory syncytial virus infection. Journal of Immunology 185: 2382-2392.
Khanolkar, A., S.M. Hartwig, B.A. Haag, D.K. Meyerholz, J.T. Harty, and S.M. Varga. 2009. TLR4-deficiency increases disease and mortality after MHV-1 infection in susceptible C3H mice. Journal of Virology 83: 8946-8956.
Olson, M.R., and S.M. Varga. 2009. Fas ligand is required for the development of respiratory syncytial virus vaccine-enhanced disease. Journal of Immunology 182: 3024-3031.
Castilow, E.M., K.L. Legge, and S.M. Varga. 2008. Cutting Edge: Eosinophils do not contribute to respiratory syncytial virus vaccine-enhanced disease. Journal of Immunology 181: 6692-6696.