| University
of California, San Francisco
400 Parnassus Avenue, Plaza Level
San Francisco, CA 94143-0326
Phone: 415-476-5810
Email: ajgross@itsa.ucsf.edu
Dr. Gross received
his degree in medicine from Tufts University in 1996. He was trained
in internal medicine and rheumatology at Tufts-New England Medical
Center, and remained there for another year as a faculty member
of the division of rheumatology. Dr. Gross came to UCSF in July
2003 to perform a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of
Microbiology and Immunology and concomenently he joined the faculty
of the Division of Rheumatology.
Research
Interests
Dr. Gross has
two areas of research interest that focus on the deregulation of
immune function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
1. Epstein Barr
virus infects nearly all human and establishes a lifelong persistent
infection. The virus does not go unchecked though. It seems to be
tightly regulated, although the exact mechanisms of this regulation
remain uncertain. To further investigate this, Dr. Gross is investigating
the effect of SLE on EBV infection. He has found that there is significant
deregulation of the virus in these patients, because there are high
numbers of infected cells in the blood and abnormal expression of
certain EBV genes. This indicates that the immune dysfunction in
SLE causes a loss of regulation of the virus. Dr. Gross is now further
investigating the mechanisms that cause the breakdown in EBV regulation.
2. When the
B-lymphocyte antigen receptor contacts an antigen, a sequence of
signals are initiated within the cell. Signaling reactions from
the B cell receptor combined with those from other membrane receptors
determine the responses of the B cell to the circumstance of its
stimulation. Work from Anthony DeFranco’s laboratory at UCSF
has shown that mice lacking a central signaling molecule from the
Src-family of kinases, Lyn, produce autoantibodies. B cells from
these mice have been shown to be hyperresponsive to stimuli. This
demonstrates that Lyn has a critical role in several events that
downregulate BCR signaling. Dr. Gross, in conjunction with Dr. DeFranco
is studying whether autoantibody production is the consequence of
Lyn deficiency in B cells alone, or does the absence of Lyn from
other immune cells contribute to the development of autoimmunity.
Dr. Gross is also studying combinations of factors that are necessary
to go from autoantibody production to the development of overt autoimmune
disease, i.e. SLE.
Recent
Publications
Gross AJ, Thorley-Lawson DA. Accumulation
of Epstein Barr virus latently infected memory B-lymphocytes in
the blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. [Abstract].
American College of Rheumatology, Oct 2002 Annual Scientific Meeting,
New Orleans LA.
Gross
AJ, Rand W, Hochberg D, Thorley-Lawson DA. EBV and SLE: A New Perspective.
In preparation.
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