NYU/CNS : Faculty : Affiliates of CNS : Carol S. Reiss

My research interests are viral immunology, ranging from innate to cellular signaling as well as molecular aspects, and pathogenesis of infection. My lab has been studying the interaction between vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and the mouse. We are probing the role of the immune system in clearance of viral infections from the central nervous system and use many research tools including knockout hosts.

Newly developed areas of research in the lab include analysis of the components involved in the breakdown of the blood-brain-barrier during viral infection. We are also examining cytokine triggered responses in the CNS, including signal transduction and down-stream events. We are studying the molecules which recruit different cells (neutrophils, natural killer, lymphocytes and macrophages) from the peripheral circulation to the CNS to fight the infection. The infection and recovery of the olfactory neuroepithelium are under investigation.

In addition the effects of drugs which target cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase and peroxisome proliferators activating receptor-gamma are being investigated for their contribution to the disease pathogenesis. The role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates in both clearance of virus and immunopathology are being studied.

Representative Publications

Reiss, CS, DDC Ireland, DA Chesler, IV Plakhov, N Chen, JL Hodges, MA Samma, and T Komatsu. 1999. Pathogenesis of Vesicular stomatitis virus encephalitis. Recent Research Developments in Virology. 1:703-716.

Reiss, CS, DA Chesler, J Hodges, DDC Ireland, and N Chen. 2000. Innate immune responses in viral encephalitis. In, Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology: Protective and Pathological Immune Responses in the CNS, Eds. J Richt and B Dietschold. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg. In press.

Reiss, CS and N Chen. 2000. Physiological pathways responsible for the breakdown of the blood brain barrier during viral encephalitis. In, Blood Brain Barrier Drug Delivery and Brain Pathology, Eds.D Kobiler and S Lustig. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, London. In press.

Chen N, J. Warren, and CS Reiss. Antagonism of Cyclooxygenase inhibits VSV propagation in the CNS. 2000. Virology 276:44-51.

Hodges, JL, DDC Ireland, and CS Reiss. IL-18 does not play a major role in VSV pathogenesis. 2001. Viral Immunology, 14:181-191.

Chen, N, A. Restivo, and CS Reiss. Leukotrienes promote recovery early during experimental VSV encephalitis. 2001. J. NeuroImmunol. 120:94-102.

Chen, N, A Restivo , and CS Reiss. Selective inhibition of COX-2 is beneficial to mice infected intranasally with VSV. 2002. Prostaglandins and other Inflammatory mediators, 67:143-155.

Chen N and CS Reiss. Innate immunity in viral encephalitis: Role of C5. 2002. Viral Immunology, 15:363-370.

Chesler, DA and CS Reiss. IL-12, while beneficial, is not essential for the host response to VSV encephalitis. 2002. J. Neuroimmunol. In press.

Chesler, DA, JA McCutcheon, C Dodard, GY Lee, D Levy, and CS Reiss. The IFN-ç-induced antiviral response to VSV infection is STAT-1-dependent and neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase expression is post-translationally regulated. 2002 J. Immunol., (submitted).

Chesler, DA, J. Munoz-Jordan, N. Donelan, A Garcia-Sastre, and CS Reiss. PKR is not required for IFN-ç inhibition of VSV replication in neurons. 2002. J. NeuroImmunology (submitted).

Recent reviews:
Chen, N and CS Reiss. 2002. Distinct roles of eicosinoids in the immune response to viral encephalitis - or why you should take NSAIDs. Viral Immunology 15:133-146.

Chesler, DA and CS Reiss. 2002. The role of IFN-ç in immune responses to viral infections of the central nervous system. Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews, 233:1-14.