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:

• Flores-Villanueva P, Ruiz-Morales JA, Song C-H, Flores LM, Jo E-K, Montano M, Barnes PF, Selman M, Granados J. A functional promoter polymorphism in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is associated with increased susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis. J Exp Med 2005;202:1649-1658.
• Shams H, Weis SE, Klucar P, Lalvani A, Moonan PK , Pogoda JM, Ewer K, Barnes PF. Enzyme-linked immunospot and tuberculin skin testing to detect latent tuberculosis infection. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005;172:1161-1169.
• 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.
• Safi H, Barnes PF, Lakey DL, Shams H, Samten B, Vankayalapati R, Howard ST. IS 6110 functions as a mobile, monocyte-activated promoter element in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mol Microbiol 2004;52:999-1012.
• Wu S, Howard ST, Lakey DL, Kipnis A, Samten B, Safi H, Gruppo V, Wizel B, Shams H, Basaraba RJ, Orme IM, Barnes PF. The principal sigma factor sigA enhances growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vivo. Mol Microbiol 2004;51:1551-1562.
• Vankayalapati R, Klucar P, Wizel B, Weis SE, Samten B, Safi H, Shams H, Barnes PF. Natural killer cells regulate CD8+ T-cell effector function in response to intracellular pathogen. J Immunol 2004;172:130-137.
• Barnes PF, Cave MD. Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis. N Engl J Med. 2003 Sep 18;349(12):1149-56.