Barnes, Peter, M.D.

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Contact: peter.barnes@uthct.edu

Education:
B.S. (Biology) with Distinction, 1977, Stanford University
M.D., 1981, University of Southern California

Research Interest:
TUBERCULOSIS

Current Projects:

1. Evaluation of the contribution of natural killer cells to the innate and adaptive immune response to M. tuberculosis.
2. Characterization of the intracellular signaling mechanisms that control production of interferon-gamma in response to M. tuberculosis.
3. Characterization of promising peptides as vaccine antigens.

Lay Summary:
Tuberculosis causes two million deaths annually world-wide, and mortality rates are increasing with the spread of HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Most tuberculosis patients live in developing nations where effective medications are not available. Global control of tuberculosis hinges on development of an effective vaccine, which, in turn, depends on understanding the human immune response to tuberculosis. Our immunologic research focuses on identifying the cells and the cellular secreted factors that mediate protective immunity against tuberculosis. In addition, we are working to identify peptides that elicit strong immune responses and are candidates for inclusion in an antituberculosis vaccine. This is done by immunologic studies of blood and tissue of tuberculosis patients, evaluation of human cells cultured in the laboratory, and studies of animals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Research Overview:
Evaluation of the human immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, focusing on the role of natural killer cells and the intracellular signaling mechanisms that control production of interferon-gamma in response to M. tuberculosis.

Characterization of promiscuous M. tuberculosis peptides as vaccine antigens.

Selected Papers and Abstracts:

• Davies PDO, Barnes PF, Gordon SB (eds.). Clinical tuberculosis, 4th edition. Hodder Arnold, 2008.
• Samten B, Townsend JC, Weis SE, Bhoumik A, Klucar P, Shams H, Barnes PF. CREB, ATF and AP-1 transcription factors regulate IFN-γ secretion by human T-cells in response to mycobacterial antigen. J Immunol 2008;181:2056-64.
• Roy S, Barnes PF, Garg A, Wu S, Cosman D, Vankayalapati R. NK cells lyse T regulatory cells in human infection with an intracellular pathogen. J Immunol 2008;180:1729-36.
• Garg A, Barnes PF, Quiroga MF, Roy S, Wu S, García VE, Krutzik SR, Weis SE, Vankayalapati R. Mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan- and prostaglandin E2-dependent expansion of regulatory T cells in human Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Eur J Immunol 2008; 38:459-69.
• Garg A, Barnes PF, Porgador A, Roy S, Nanda JS, Griffith DE, Girard WM, Rawal N, Shetty S, Vankayalapati R. Vimentin expressed on Mycobaterium tuberculosis-infected human monocytes is involved in binding to the NKp46 receptor. J Immunol 2006;177:6192-8.
• Vankayalapati R, Garg A, Porgador A, Griffith DE , Klucar P, Safi H, Girard WM, Cosman D, Spies T, Barnes PF. Role of natural killer cell activating receptors and their ligands in the lysis of mononuclear phagocytes infected with an intracellular bacterium. J Immunol 2005;175:4611-4617.
• Samten B, Howard ST , Weis SE, Wu S, Shams H, Townsend JC, Safi H, Barnes PF. Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein positively regulates production of IFN-gamma by T cells in response to a microbial pathogen. J Immunol 2005;174:6357-6363.
• Shams H, Klucar P, Weis SE, Lalvani A, Moonan PK, Safi H, Wizel B, Ewer K, Nepom GT, Lewinsohn DM, Andersen P, Barnes PF. Characterization of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis peptide that is recognized by human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the context of multiple HLA alleles. J Immunol 2004;173:1966-77.