Immune competence in mice after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

We are interested in looking at humoral competence in mice after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Human patients that receive a bone marrow transplant experience delayed reconstitution of B cells and B cell function. We are investigating several models of bone marrow transplantation, including in utero transplantation of completely allogeneic bone marrow, in utero transplantation of partially matched (haploidentical) bone marrow, and lastly an adult haploidentical model using lethally irradiated recipients. Our current focus is on T cell dependent (TD) antibody responses and the germinal center reaction. Long-term projects will focus on examination of affinity maturation and memory B cell formation in adult recipients of haploidentical bone marrow.

Verma S, Alexander CM, Carlson MJ, Tygrett LT, Waldschmidt TJ. B-cell studies in chronic ethanol mice. Methods Mol Biol. 2008;447:295-323. PubMed PMID:18369926.