Suzanne Miles

Present position: PhD Student,

Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S., Biochemistry (2000)

Publications:

Miles S, McManus H, Forsten KE, Storrie B.  Evidence that the entire Golgi apparatus cycles in interphase HeLa cells: sensitivity of Golgi matrix proteins to an ER exit block. J Cell Biol.155(4):543-55.

Miles SA, Conrad SM, Alves RG, Jeronimo SMB, and Mosser DM.  A role for IgG immune complexes during infection with the intracellular pathogen Leishmania spp. J Exp Med.  2005 Mar 7; 201(5):747-754

Research Summary:

I work with the intracellular parasite, Leishmania spp.  My research examines the various ways Leishmania are able to evade and exploit the host immune response.  The major aspect of the immune response that I study is antibody production.  We have examined antibody production during visceral leishmaniasis and demonstrated a positive correlation with antibody levels and disease severity.  The immune system produces antibodies to coat pathogens, and subsequently clear them by phagocytosis.  Leishmania spp can exploit this process.  We demonstrate that high IgG titers lead to the production of Il-10 by macrophages.  This IL-10 is immunosuppressive.  The picture below shows intracellular Leishmania inside a macrophage.  The macrophage nuclei are red and the parasites are green.  These parasites were stained with antibody to host IgG.  Thus, intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania have IgG on their surface.