Project Number: 3625-32000-079-01
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Aug 15, 2005
End Date: Jan 31, 2009

Objective:
1. Determine the ontogeny of innate immune activity by alveolar macrophages/dendritic cells. 2. Determine the severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and the extent of alterations in alveolar macrophage/dendritic cell innate immune responses in pre-term and full-term lambs.

Approach:
1. The extent of alveolar macrophage/dendritic cell expression of toll-like receptors and cytokines will be determined in pre-term and full-term lambs using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. 2. The extent to which RSV alters the expression of toll-like receptors and cytokine gene expression will be determined by real-time PCR assays.