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Peter  B.  Ernst
Degree(s): D.V.M, Ph.D.
Graduate School: McMaster University
Primary Appointment: Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Research Interests:
Gastrointestinal inflammation with specific interests in lymphoepithelial cell interactions in H. pylori infection and inflammatory bowel disease.

Email Address: pbe3e@virginia.edu
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program(s)
  • Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
    • Research Description

    The principal research interest in the lab is in the area of gastrointestinal inflammation with specific interests in lymphoepithelial cell interactions involved in microbial pathogenesis of acute and chronic diseases. The ultimate goal of understanding the pathogenesis of these diseases is to enhance the design of immunotherapies for the treatment or prevention of the gastrointestinal disorders.

    One area of interest has been the role of adenosine in controlling the development of immune and inflammatory responses to gastrointestinal infections including Helicobacter pylori and enteric Helicobacter spp. These infections are relevant to gastroduodenal disease and inflammatory bowel diseases.

    Other studies in the lab have shown that the host response to category B , food-borne pathogens is an essential component of the disease pathogenesis. Specifically , the oxidative stress induced by these agents plays an important role in selecting for the pathogenic host response. In contrast, "protective" T cells produce anti-inflammatory cytokines that can prevent or limit the impact of these infections.

    We have shown that adenosine favors the induction of protective responses largely by modifying the expression of genes that encode the production of cytokines. Other protective responses in the gut may include the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines by antigen presenting cells. Studies are in progress to characterize the effect of adenosine and antigen presenting cells on the development of "protective" versus "pathogenic" T cells and whether disease can be prevented by the administration of exogenous sources of adenosine.

    Selected Publications
  • Mohammad S. Alam, Courtney C. Kurtz, Robert M. Rowlett, Brian K. Reuter, Elizabeth Wiznerowicz, Soumita Das, Joel Linden, Sheila E. Crowe, and Peter B. Ernst. CD73 Is Expressed by Human Regulatory T Helper Cells and Suppresses Proinflammatory Cytokine Production and Helicobacter felis –Induced Gastritis in Mice. JID 2009:199 (15 February).
  • Peter B. Ernst , Mohammad S. Alam , Asima Bhattacharyya , and Sheila E. Crowe. Chapter 17 Host Immunity in the Development of Gastric Preneoplasia T.C. Wang et al. (eds.) Biology of Gastric Cancers , 425, Springer Science + Business Media , LLC 2008.
  • O'Hara AM, Bhattacharyya A, Mifflin RC, Smith MF, Ryan KA, Scott KG, Naganuma M, Casola A, Izumi T, Mitra S, Ernst PB, Crowe SE. "Interleukin-8 induction by Helicobacter pylori in gastric epithelial cells is dependent on apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1/redox factor-1." J Immunol. 2006 Dec 1;177(11):7990-9.
  • Naganuma M, Wiznerowicz EB, Lappas CM, Linden J, Worthington MT, Ernst PB. "Cutting edge: Critical role for A2A adenosine receptors in the T cell-mediated regulation of colitis." J Immunol. 2006 Sep 1;177(5):2765-9.
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    Contact Information
      Office Address: PO Box 800708, 
      Office Phone: +1 434-924-1944
      Fax Phone: +1 434-982-0044

    Other Websites for this mentor:
    http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/digestive-health/gastroandhepatology/ernst.cfm

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