AMY ROSENFELD Ph.D. Principal Investigator, Office of Vaccines Review and Research, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Review, FDA

RNA section editor DNA and Cell Biology, Co-director Respiratory Enterovirus Research Meeting

Program: Cross-protection against enteroviruses and its effect on pathogenesis

 

Research interests: Biology of picornaviruses including reproduction and pathogenesis

 

General Overview

Picornaviruses are single stranded (+) strand RNA-containing viruses. Within this virus genus are enteroviruses, which are ubiquitous human pathogens. More than 110 enteroviruses have been identified including echoviruses, Coxsackieviruses A and B (CVA and CVB), and EVs A and D (EV-A and EV-D). Human rhinoviruses (HRV), of which there are more than 160 genotypes, are also members of this virus family. Infection with these viruses particularly in children under the age of 6 years, may cause a broad spectrum of serious illnesses such as acute flaccid myelitis, a childhood polio like paralysis, neonatal sepsis, aseptic meningitis, myocarditis, hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), respiratory illnesses including asthma, encephalitis, and are suspected in triggering type 1 diabetes. Although diverse pathologies are associated with enterovirus infections, there is substantial genetic similarity among these viruses. This conservation results in the induction of cross-reactive antibodies. It is unknown if the cross-species anti-enterovirus antibody response can protect against the disease caused by heterologous enteroviruses. The Rosenfeld laboratory combines traditional and state-of-the art methodologies to isolate cross-species anti-enterovirus monoclonal antibodies and investigate the mechanisms by which these antibodies may affect virus pathogenesis. Additionally, my laboratory is interested in establishing immune competent animal models for those enteroviruses for which none exists in order to determine if mechanisms of pathogenesis are conserved among this species of viruses. Knowledge gained from this research will help determine if enterovirus associated diseases result from direct virus reproduction within the infected cell or result from dysregulation of the immune response and are immunopathologies. This information is necessary for developing and evaluating next generation anti-enterovirus counter measures including vaccines.