Dr. Jishu Shi

  Dr. Jishu Shi
  PhD, Immunophysiology, Kansas State University, 1995
  MS, Veterinary Immunology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 1988
  DVM, Beijing Agricultural University, 1985
  Phone (785) 532-4506
  e-mail: jshi@vet.k-state.edu

Mentor : Frank Blecha, PhD

Epithelial-lymphoid Crosstalk via IL-1 in Host Defense against Citrobacter Rodentium

Citrobacter rodentium is closely related to the diarrhea-inducing E. coli strains responsible for more than two million deaths each year, particularly of children in developing countries. While the E. coli strains that cause acute diarrhea in humans are poorly pathogenic in mice, C. rodentium can establish a natural infection in mouse intestine which mimics human diseases. Thus, C. rodentium infection in mice is an excellent in vivo model for diarrhea-inducing E. coli strains and for the study of mucosal immune responses to infection and inflammation.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an important acute response factor of host defense against microbial infections. Studies have shown that mice deficient in IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1R1) develop lethal colitis after C. rodentium infection. This project will determine the molecular mechanisms of IL-1R1-dependent host immunity against C. rodentium. We will determine whether IL-1R1 signaling is critical for intestinal epithelial cells to function and whether IL-1 is essential for interaction between epithelial cells and immune cells in the intestine.