The major interest in our laboratory relates to the immunobiology of the eye. In particular, our research efforts fall into four basic categories: 1) the immunobiology of corneal transplants; 2) the immune privilege of the anterior chamber of the eye; 3) the immunology of intraocular tumors and their metastases; and 4) the biology and immunology of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Corneal transplants are the oldest, most common, and most successful category of organ grafts. Over 35,000 corneal transplants are performed each year in the United States. Less than 10% of these grafts will fail, even though histocompatibility matching is not routinely performed. The extraordinary immune privilege of corneal transplants is an area of intense investigation in our laboratory. The small numbers of corneal grafts that do not succeed, invariably fail because of immune rejection. Our laboratory is actively immersed in research that will identify the immune mechanisms that lead to apoptosis and death of the corneal transplant Other studies deal with novel methods for inducing antigen-specific unresponsiveness as a method for preventing immune rejection and promoting corneal graft survival without the use of immunosuppressive drugs.
Our laboratory continues to explore the mechanisms responsible for the unique immune privilege that occurs in the anterior chamber of the eye. Foreign tissue grafts enjoy prolonged, sometimes permanent, survival in the anterior chamber of the eye as a result of an extraordinary dysregulation of the systemic immune apparatus. Studies are directed at unraveling the mysterious antigen specific suppression that is induced by antigens placed into the anterior chamber.
Other investigations in our laboratory deal with strategies for preventing the metastatic spread of intraocular tumors. Since metastatic disease is the leading cause of death in cancer patients, we have directed our research activities to develop methods for preventing intravasation, homing, and extravasation of metastases arising from intraocular melanomas. Ongoing studies are presently focusing on the role natural killer (NK) cells in the liver as crucial barriers to metastatic disease.
Our research interests include studies on the biology and immunology of an ocular disease, Acanthamoeba keratitis. This parasitic infection is primarily restricted to soft contact lens wearers. Research on this disease spans a wide range of interests including immunology, cell biology, and therapy.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Transplant and Tumor Rejection Processes within the Eye
Immunobiology of Corneal Allografts
Immunological Modulation of Ocular Tumor Metastases
Biology, Immunology and Therapy of Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Immunobiology of Autoimmune Dry Eye Disease
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Wang S, Coleman EJ, Pop LM, Brooks KJ, Vitetta ES, and Niederkorn JY, "Effect of an anti-CD54 (ICAM-1) monoclonal antibody (UV3) on the growth of human uveal melanoma cells transplanted heterotopically and orthotopically in SCID mice." Int Jour Cancer, 118:932-941, 2006
Ashour HM and Niederkorn JY, "Peripheral tolerance via the AC of the eye: Role of B" Jour Immunology, 176:5957, 2006
Dace DS, Chen PW, and Niederkorn JY., "CD8+ T Cells Circumvent Immune Privilege in the Eye and Mediate Intraocular Tumor Rejection by a TNF-α-Dependent Mechanism." Jour Immunol, 178:6115-6122, Spring 2007
Niederkorn JY, Stevens C, Mellon J, and Mayhew E, "Differential roles of CD8+ and CD8- T lymphocytes in corneal allograft rejection in ?high-risk? hosts." American Journal of Transplantation, 6:705-713, Winter 2006
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Niederkorn, JY, "See no evil, hear no evil and do no evil: The lessons of immune privilege." Nature Immunology, 7:354-359, 2006
Niederkorn JY, Stern ME, Pflugfelder SC, De Paiva CS, Corrales RM, Gao J, and Siemasko K, "Desiccating stress induces T cell-mediated Sjogrens syndrome-like lacrimal keratoconjunctivitis." Journal of Immunology, 176:3950-3957, 2006
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