Description of Research

ordetella pertussis is a gram negative bacterium and is the causative agent of pertussis disease in humans.  Pertussis disease is characterized by a severe and prolonged cough that persists well after bacterial clearance.  Previously, we have observed an important role of resident airway macrophages during the course of infection along with the presence of pertussis toxin.  Pertussis toxin is an important endotoxin of B. pertussis and acts upon cells by ADP-ribosylating heterotrimeric G-proteins, resulting in the disruption of G-protein coupled signal cascades.  We hypothesize that pertussis toxin plays an important role in the disruption of resident airway macrophages during infection.  We plan on investigating these roles in a murine infection model with wild type and mutant B. pertussis that is deficient in the production of active pertussis toxin and by observing infection courses and host response with modified macrophage conditions.  Also, we expect to study the impact of pertussis toxin on macrophages in vitro via tissue culture systems by examining phagocytosis, ADP-ribosylation, and signaling in the presence of bacteria and toxin.  With these studies, we hope to further elucidate the host-infection interaction during the role of B. pertussis infection.