Abraham, Soman N., and Ashley L. St John. “Mast cell-orchestrated immunity to pathogens..” Nat Rev Immunol 10, no. 6 (June 2010): 440–52. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri2782.
Soman Ninan Abraham, PhD
Grace Kerby Professor of Pathology
Campus Mail:
255 Jones Bldg, Durham, NC 27710
Phone:
(919) 684-3630
Email:
soman.abraham@duke.edu
The Abraham laboratory is interested in developing innovative approaches for curbing microbial infections through the study of the molecular interactions occurring between pathogenic bacteria and prominent immune and epithelial cells. We believe that there is a significant amount of crosstalk occurring between bacteria and host cells during infection and that the outcome of this interaction dictates both how quickly the infection is cleared and the severity of the pathology associated with the infection. We also believe that through deciphering this crosstalk we should be able to selectively promote certain beneficial interactions while abrogating the harmful ones.
There are two major research areas being pursued in this laboratory. The first involves elucidating the role of mast cells in modulating immune responses to microbes. Our studies have revealed that mast cells play a key sentinel role and upon bacterial or viral infection, modulate both innate and adaptive immune responses through the release of immunomodulatory molecules borne in granules. Our current investigations are centered on elucidating the molecular and cellular aspects of how mast cells mediate their immunomodulatory role. We are also examining several mast cell-targeted strategies to boost immunity to infections as well as reduce any pathological consequences of infection.
The second area of research investigates cross-talk between distinct infectious agents such as Uropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Yersinia pestis and the immune system. We have recognized that different pathogens possess distinct mechanisms to evade or coopt one or more immune cells to establish infection. We have also unraveled novel intracellular innate host defense activities including expulsion of whole bacteria from infected epithelial cells, a feat mediated by immune recognition molecules and the cellular trafficking system.
Cumulatively, our studies should facilitate the design of innovative strategies to combat pathogens that selectively potentiate the host’s immune response without evoking some of its harmful side effects.
Education and Training
- Clinical Director, Serology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1993 - 1997
- Assistant Professor, Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1990 - 1997
- Associate Clinical Director, Microbiology/Serology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1990 - 1993
- Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology And Immunology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1990 - 1990
- Assistant Professor, Medicine, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1986 - 1990
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1982 - 1986
- Ph.D., Newcastle University, 1981
- M.S., Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria), 1978
- B.S., Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria), 1976
Selected Grants and Awards
- Duke KURe Program
- Duke KURe Program
- Duke CTSA (KL2)
- Duke CTSA (TL1)
- Aberrant remodeling of bladder following infection
- Combatting Bladder Cancer by Inducing Epithelial Turnover
- Transmission electron microscope (TEM)
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure
- Immunotherapy to combat skin infections
- Interdisciplinary Training Program in Lung Disease
- Novel Adjuvants and Carriers for Opiod Vaccines
- Adjuvant Discovery Program (Option #3)
- Adjuvant Discovery Program (Option #2)
- IL-27 in skin host defense and regeneration
- Platelets as regulators of inflammation and tissue injury after cardiac surgery
- Basic Immunology Training Program
- Immune mediated exocytosis of intravesicular UPEC from bladder cells
- Understanding the Mechanism of Mucosal Immunotherapy
- Overcoming Immunosenescence by Nanoparticle-Mediated Activation
- Adjuvant Discovery Program (Option #1)
- Platelet/Mast Cell Interactions as Determinants of End-Organ Injury in Cardiac Surgery
- Enhancing dendritic cell migration to drive potent anti-tumor immune responses
- Mucosal vaccination to protect against HIV-1 infection at mucosal sites
- Mast Cells in Dengue Pathology and Prevention
- Adjuvant Discovery Program
- Institutional Training Grant in Pediatric Infectious Disease
- The role of SP-A in Mp-induced exacerbations during allergic airway disease
- Mechanism of Bacterial Expulsion from Infected Bladder Cells.
- Overcoming Immunosenescence by Nanoparticle-Mediated Activation
- The role of SP-A in Mp-induced exacerbations during allergic airway disease.
- Development of Efficacious and Stable Nasal Vaccine Formulations
- Targeting EGFRvIII in Brain Tumors with Bispecific Antibodies
- Nasal adjuvant to enhance anti-cocaine vaccines
- Enterotoxin targeting and delivery mechanisms
- Modulation of Bladder cAMP to combat UTI's
- Caveolae Mediated Bacterial Uptake in the Urinary Tract
- Role Of Surfactant In Innate and Adaptive Immunity
- Development of Efficacious Vaccine Against UTI's
- Small cationic antimicrobial peptides: activators of innate & adaptive immunity
- Ligand Receptor Interactions in UTIs
- Mast Cells and IBD Pathogenesis
- Pseudomonas invasion and the role of caveolin-2
- Duke PREP: Minority Recruitment into Biomedical Sciences
- Mast Cell Activator as Adjuvant for Biodefense Vaccines
- Proteome Mining in Caveolae of the Bladder Epithelium
- Detection of in vivo ETEC vesicle production
- Mast Cells in Pulmonary Inflammation
Selected Publications
Hofmann, Alison M., and Soman N. Abraham. “New roles for mast cells in modulating allergic reactions and immunity against pathogens..” Curr Opin Immunol 21, no. 6 (December 2009): 679–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2009.09.007.
St John, Ashley L., and Soman N. Abraham. “Salmonella disrupts lymph node architecture by TLR4-mediated suppression of homeostatic chemokines..” Nat Med 15, no. 11 (November 2009): 1259–65. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2036.
Kunder, Christian A., Ashley L. St John, Guojie Li, Kam W. Leong, Brent Berwin, Herman F. Staats, and Soman N. Abraham. “Mast cell-derived particles deliver peripheral signals to remote lymph nodes..” J Exp Med 206, no. 11 (October 26, 2009): 2455–67. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20090805.
Shelburne, Christopher P., Hideki Nakano, Ashley L. St John, Cheryl Chan, James B. McLachlan, Michael D. Gunn, Herman F. Staats, and Soman N. Abraham. “Mast cells augment adaptive immunity by orchestrating dendritic cell trafficking through infected tissues..” Cell Host Microbe 6, no. 4 (October 22, 2009): 331–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2009.09.004.
Song, Jeongmin, Brian L. Bishop, Guojie Li, Richard Grady, Ann Stapleton, and Soman N. Abraham. “TLR4-mediated expulsion of bacteria from infected bladder epithelial cells..” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, no. 35 (September 1, 2009): 14966–71. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900527106.
Zaas, David W., Zachary D. Swan, Bethany J. Brown, Guojie Li, Scott H. Randell, Simone Degan, Mary E. Sunday, Jo Rae Wright, and Soman N. Abraham. “Counteracting signaling activities in lipid rafts associated with the invasion of lung epithelial cells by Pseudomonas aeruginosa..” J Biol Chem 284, no. 15 (April 10, 2009): 9955–64. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M808629200.
McLachlan, James B., Christopher P. Shelburne, Justin P. Hart, Salvatore V. Pizzo, Rajen Goyal, Rhea Brooking-Dixon, Herman F. Staats, and Soman N. Abraham. “Mast cell activators: a new class of highly effective vaccine adjuvants..” Nat Med 14, no. 5 (May 2008): 536–41. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1757.
Song, Jeongmin, and Soman N. Abraham. “TLR-mediated immune responses in the urinary tract..” Curr Opin Microbiol 11, no. 1 (February 2008): 66–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2007.12.001.
Song, Jeongmin, Brian L. Bishop, Guojie Li, Matthew J. Duncan, and Soman N. Abraham. “TLR4-initiated and cAMP-mediated abrogation of bacterial invasion of the bladder..” Cell Host Microbe 1, no. 4 (June 14, 2007): 287–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2007.05.007.
Bishop, Brian L., Mathew J. Duncan, Jeongmin Song, Guojie Li, David Zaas, and Soman N. Abraham. “Cyclic AMP-regulated exocytosis of Escherichia coli from infected bladder epithelial cells..” Nat Med 13, no. 5 (May 2007): 625–30. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1572.
Song, Jeongmin, Matthew J. Duncan, Guojie Li, Cheryl Chan, Richard Grady, Ann Stapleton, and Soman N. Abraham. “A novel TLR4-mediated signaling pathway leading to IL-6 responses in human bladder epithelial cells..” Plos Pathog 3, no. 4 (April 2007). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.0030060.
Shin, Jeoung-Sook, Christopher P. Shelburne, Cong Jin, E Ann LeFurgey, and Soman N. Abraham. “Harboring of particulate allergens within secretory compartments by mast cells following IgE/FcepsilonRI-lipid raft-mediated phagocytosis..” J Immunol 177, no. 9 (November 1, 2006): 5791–5800. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.177.9.5791.
Zaas, David W., Matthew Duncan, Jo Rae Wright, and Soman N. Abraham. “The role of lipid rafts in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections..” Biochim Biophys Acta 1746, no. 3 (December 30, 2005): 305–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2005.10.003.
Duncan, Matthew J., Elena L. Mann, Michael S. Cohen, Itzhak Ofek, Nathan Sharon, and Soman N. Abraham. “The distinct binding specificities exhibited by enterobacterial type 1 fimbriae are determined by their fimbrial shafts..” J Biol Chem 280, no. 45 (November 11, 2005): 37707–16. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M501249200.