Speaker: Professor Neil A Mabbott, The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, will present a seminar entitled : M cells: important immunosurveillance posts in the gut epithelium

Host : Simon Carding

Abstract:
Our gastrointestinal tracts contain a huge burden of commensal microorganisms. In addition to these beneficial commensals, the intestine is occasionally infected with pathogenic microorganisms. The mucosal immune system in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts acts to protect against pathogens acquired by ingestion and inhalation, respectively. To effectively do so, the mucosal immune system must be able to discriminate between the harmless commensal microorganisms and food antigens and generate tolerance towards them, while at the same time generate protective immune responses against pathogens.

Mucosal immune responses are initiated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) such as the Peyer’s patches in the small intestine.  To efficiently do this, the mucosal immune system must be able to sample the gut lumenal contents to enable it to generate protective immune responses against pathogens.  The epithelium which covers the lumenal surfaces of the Peyer’s patches contains a unique population of epithelial cells, termed M cells. These highly phagocytic epithelial cells are specialized for the trans-epithelial transfer of particulate antigens and microorganisms from the gut lumen into the GALT (termed transcytosis).

This M cell-mediated transfer of gut lumenal antigens is an important initial step in the induction of efficient mucosal immune responses against certain pathogenic bacteria and the commensal bacterial flora.  Recently, substantial progress has been made in our understanding of the factors that influence the development and function of M cells. In this talk I will highlight some of our own research which has helped to advance in our understanding of M-cell biology.  In particular I will discuss factors which help to maintain M cell-differentiation in the steady state and during aging.  I will also describe how certain pathogens appear to exploit M cells to establish host infection.

Biography:
Prof Mabbott’s research has primarily focused on host-pathogen interactions and the pathogenesis of infectious diseases.  Particular interests include understanding host-pathogen interactions during infection with prions (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents, TSEs) and other gastrointestinal pathogens including Salmonella, nematodes and other parasites.  Recent research has focussed on the mucosal immune system, especially the immunobiology of antigen-sampling M cells in the gut epithelium. He also studies the effects of ageing on lymphoid tissue microarchitecture, and the transcriptional relationships between different immune cell populations.

Prof Mabbott obtained his BSc (Hons) in Microbiology from the University of Leeds in 1992 and his PhD at the University of Aberdeen in 1996. He was a post-doctoral research scientist (and later PI) in the Neuropathogenesis Unit in Edinburgh from November 1995 becoming Reader at The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Edinburgh in 2009. In August 2015 he was appointed Professor (Personal Chair in Immunopathology).

Prof Mabbott was awarded the Heine-Medin Medal in 2000 for elucidating the role of follicular dendritic cells in TSE pathogenesis. This medal is awarded every second year by the European Society for Clinical Virology to a young promising scientist.

All staff from organisations on the Norwich Research Park are welcome to attend.