P07 Ohnmacht, Zehn

Microbiota-mediated modulation of protective immunity and immunopathology

Principal Investigators:
Ohnmacht, Caspar, TUM
Zehn, Dietmar, TUM

Acute and chronic viral infections remain a major public health concern yet most external factors affecting efficacy of anti-viral immunity remain poorly understood. Based on our previous results demonstrating enhanced immunopathology and impaired virus control in germfree and in mice with limited bacterial diversity (OligoMM¹²-colonized mice) after chronic LCMV infection, we will now assess particularities of OligoMM¹² consortia and derivatives thereof during the course of the infection and investigate mechanistic links of these particularities to the regulation of virus-specific cytotoxic and T helper cell responses in different tissues. These mechanistic insights may be highly useful for the rational design of more efficient and personalized vaccination regimens and anti-cancer therapies including checkpoint inhibition.