Blaise Corthésy (Immunology and Allergies Division, Hôpital orthopédique, Lausanne, Switzerland)

On Thursday 24 May, 10.30am, Lecture Hall of J.Poly building (440), Dr Blaise Corthésy (Immunology and Allergies Division, Hôpital orthopédique, Lausanne, Switzerland), hosted by Isabelle Schwartz-Cornil, will give an Institute seminar focused on the role of IgA in intestinal homeostasis.

Mucosal host defense against pathogens is mainly controlled by a specific type of immunoglobulins, called IgA. Secretory IgAs from mucosal surfaces act by complexing pathogens (virus, bacteria, parasites) through the so-called "immune exclusion" mechanism, leading to their subsequent elimination.

Recent findings from Dr Blaise Corthésy's laboratory in Lausanne further extend the role of IgAs to intestinal mucosa homeostasis, through subtle and complex interactions with commensal flora, epithelial and dendritic cells.

This work enables a better understanding of host/microbiota interactions and of host defense mechanisms against pathogens entering through mucosa, and has a direct impact on the development of immunisation strategies.

To learn more: https://applicationspub.unil.ch/interpub/noauth/php/Un/UnPers.php?PerNum=3228&LanCode=8&menu=coord

Recent publications:

N-Glycans on secretory component: Mediators of the interaction between secretory IgA and gram-positive commensals sustaining intestinal homeostasis.
Mathias A, Corthésy B.
Gut Microbes. 2011 Sep 1;2(5)

Recognition of gram-positive intestinal bacteria by hybridoma- and colostrum-derived secretory immunoglobulin A is mediated by carbohydrates.
Mathias A, Corthésy B.
J Biol Chem. 2011 May 13;286(19):17239-47

Potentiation of polarized intestinal Caco-2 cell responsiveness to probiotics complexed with secretory IgA.
Mathias A, Duc M, Favre L, Benyacoub J, Blum S, Corthésy B.
J Biol Chem. 2010 Oct 29;285(44):33906-13.

Conditioned polarized Caco-2 cell monolayers allow to discriminate for the ability of gut-derived microorganisms to modulate permeability and antigen-induced basophil degranulation.
Thierry AC, Bernasconi E, Mercenier A, Corthésy B.
Clin Exp Allergy. 2009 Apr;39(4):527-36.