Subproject B9

Whipple’s disease originates from a chronic systemic infection with Tropheryma (T.) whipplei. The agent can be found ubiquitously and causes self-limiting infections and asymptomatic carriage in healthy subjects.
In the past we were able to narrow the predisposing host factors or Whipple’s disease. The pathogen itself does not influence the course of the infection but there exists a predisposing HLA-Association of the patients. In the intestinal mucosa of Whipple's disease patients the expression of cytokines, a reduced number of lymphocytes and a low production of immunoglobulins indicate an anti-inflammatory milieu. In addition, regulatory T cells and alternative activation of macrophages influence the pathogenesis of Whipple's disease.
We aim to further define the deficiency of antigen presenting cells by expression and functional analysis of macrophages that were infected with T. whipplei. On a T cell level the CTL specificity as well as the possible induction of T. whipplei-specific CD4+ T cells will be analyzed including their relevance in the development of an IRIS in the treatment of Whipple’s disease.