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Faculty
T. V. Rajan
Professor of Immunology
rajan@neuron.uchc.edu
Areas of Interest:
We focus our efforts on understanding the biology of human lymphatic
filariasis, using Brugia malayi as a model and various deficient
mice as hosts. We have found that a class of poly-unsaturated fatty
acids, including linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids serve the
nutritional/trophic needs of this organism. This result has been quite
surprising to us, since we had initially anticipated that a protein
might be the molecule that is required. We have since determined that
inhibitors of leukotriene synthesis block molting, suggesting that B.
malayi requires a leukotriene to complete its development. This
observation opens novel avenues for therapy.
We have also been examining the factors determining host immunity
against this parasite. Using targeted mutations that result in the lack
of B lymphocytes, we have made the unexpected observation that B
lymphocytes appear to play a central role in host defense.
Reconstitution of SCID mice with purified peritoneal exudate cells,
which are enriched for a certain subset of B lymphocytes known as the B1
B cells, we have demonstrated that this subset of B lymphocytes is able
to mediate host protection. This observation opens the door to the
identification of parasite derived molecules that may be playing
critical role in host community.
Publications
Selected Publications:
Spencer, L., Shultz, L. and Rajan, T.V. T cells are required for host
protection against Brugia malayi but need not produce or respond
to interleukin-4. Infect Immun. 71(6):3097-106, 2003.
Rajan, T.V. The Gell-Coombs classification of hypersensitivity
reactions: a re-interpretation. Trends Immunol. 24(7):376-9,
2003.
Ramalingam, T., Rajan, B., Lee, J. and Rajan. T.V. Kinetics of
cellular responses to intraperitoneal Brugia pahangi infections
in normal and immunodeficient mice. Infect Immun. 71(8):4361-7.
Rajan TV, Paciorkowski N, Kalajzic I, McGuiness C. Ascorbic acid is a
requirement for the morphogenesis of the human filarial parasite
Brugia malayi. J Parasitol. 2003 Aug;89(4):868-70.
Rajan TV. The Gell-Coombs classification of hypersensitivity
reactions: a re-interpretation. Trends Immunol. 2003
Jul;24(7):376-9.
Rajan, T.V., Ganley, L., Paciorkowski, N., Spencer, L., Klei, T.R.
and Shultz, L.D. Brugian infections in the peritoneal cavities of
laboratory mice: kinetics of infection and cellular responses. Exp
Parasitol. 100(4):235-47, 2002.
Rajan, T.V., Tennen, H., Lindquist, R.L., Cohen, L. and Clive, J.
Effect of ingestion of honey on symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis. Ann
Allergy Asthma Immunol. 88(2):198-203, 2002.
Clawson, M.L., Paciorkowski, N., Rajan, T.V., LaVake, C., Pope, C.,
LaVake, M., Wikel, S.K., Krause, P.J. and Radolf, J.D. Cellular
immunity, but not gamma interferon, is essential for resolution of
Babesia microti infection in BALB/c mice. Infect Immun.
70(9):5304-06, 2002.
Rajan, T.V. East is East, etc. Cancer. 1(3):314-4, 2002.
Spencer, LA., Porte, P., Zetoff, C. and Rajan, T.V. Mice genetically
deficient in immunoglobulin E are more permissive hosts than wild-type
mice to a primary, but not secondary, infection with filarial nematode
Brugia malayi. Infect Immun. 71(5):2462-7, 2002.
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