{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/32585"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/32585","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The role of Surfacant Protein D in the control of human helminth infections","abstract":"Lung produced surfactant protein D (SP-D) is essential for both homeostasis and as an innate immune opsonin. In the project presented here, we aimed to translate data recently published by our group, which demonstrated that SP-D contributes to protection against murine parasitic nematode infections, to human work. In the first part of this study, we determined whether individuals exposed to helminths have altered serum SP-D in comparison to unexposed individuals, through analysis (ELISA and Western Blot) of bio banked samples in 2 clinical cohorts from South Africa. Secondly, we aimed to identify if SP-D influences the magnitude of anti-nematode responses in human immune cells (type 2 innate lymphoid cells, monocytes and macrophages) through in vitro cell work and flow cytometry. Our findings indicated an association between serum SP-D and exposure to helminths that have a lung migration stage as part of their life cycle (Ascaris spp and Toxocara spp). Furthermore, in vitro analysis demonstrated that human immune cells primed with SP-D might have an altered response to helminth antigen. These findings point toward the need for further investigation into the novel role of SP-D in the control of human helminth infections in the context of immune physiology, as a biomarker and eventually treatment option.","abstract_html":"Lung produced surfactant protein D (SP-D) is essential for both homeostasis and as an innate immune opsonin. In the project presented here, we aimed to translate data recently published by our group, which demonstrated that SP-D contributes to protection against murine parasitic nematode infections, to human work. In the first part of this study, we determined whether individuals exposed to helminths have altered serum SP-D in comparison to unexposed individuals, through analysis (ELISA and Western Blot) of bio banked samples in 2 clinical cohorts from South Africa. Secondly, we aimed to identify if SP-D influences the magnitude of anti-nematode responses in human immune cells (type 2 innate lymphoid cells, monocytes and macrophages) through in vitro cell work and flow cytometry. Our findings indicated an association between serum SP-D and exposure to helminths that have a lung migration stage as part of their life cycle (Ascaris spp and Toxocara spp). Furthermore, in vitro analysis demonstrated that human immune cells primed with SP-D might have an altered response to helminth antigen. These findings point toward the need for further investigation into the novel role of SP-D in the control of human helminth infections in the context of immune physiology, as a biomarker and eventually treatment option.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Baker, Zoe"],"institution":"Division of Immunology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Horsnell, William"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020","date_published":"2020","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:38Z","subjects":["Clinical Science and Immunology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32585","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Horsnell, William"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Baker, Zoe"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2021-01-20T08:41:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-01-20T08:41:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2020"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Division of Immunology"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MSc"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Clinical Science and Immunology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32585"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Lung produced surfactant protein D (SP-D) is essential for both homeostasis and as an innate immune opsonin. In the project presented here, we aimed to translate data recently published by our group, which demonstrated that SP-D contributes to protection against murine parasitic nematode infections, to human work. In the first part of this study, we determined whether individuals exposed to helminths have altered serum SP-D in comparison to unexposed individuals, through analysis (ELISA and Western Blot) of bio banked samples in 2 clinical cohorts from South Africa. Secondly, we aimed to identify if SP-D influences the magnitude of anti-nematode responses in human immune cells (type 2 innate lymphoid cells, monocytes and macrophages) through in vitro cell work and flow cytometry. Our findings indicated an association between serum SP-D and exposure to helminths that have a lung migration stage as part of their life cycle (Ascaris spp and Toxocara spp). Furthermore, in vitro analysis demonstrated that human immune cells primed with SP-D might have an altered response to helminth antigen. These findings point toward the need for further investigation into the novel role of SP-D in the control of human helminth infections in the context of immune physiology, as a biomarker and eventually treatment option."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The role of Surfacant Protein D in the control of human helminth infections"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Horsnell, William"],"dc:creator":["Baker, Zoe"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2021-01-20T08:41:50Z"],"dc:date.available":["2021-01-20T08:41:50Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2020"],"dc:description.abstract":["Lung produced surfactant protein D (SP-D) is essential for both homeostasis and as an innate immune opsonin. In the project presented here, we aimed to translate data recently published by our group, which demonstrated that SP-D contributes to protection against murine parasitic nematode infections, to human work. In the first part of this study, we determined whether individuals exposed to helminths have altered serum SP-D in comparison to unexposed individuals, through analysis (ELISA and Western Blot) of bio banked samples in 2 clinical cohorts from South Africa. Secondly, we aimed to identify if SP-D influences the magnitude of anti-nematode responses in human immune cells (type 2 innate lymphoid cells, monocytes and macrophages) through in vitro cell work and flow cytometry. Our findings indicated an association between serum SP-D and exposure to helminths that have a lung migration stage as part of their life cycle (Ascaris spp and Toxocara spp). Furthermore, in vitro analysis demonstrated that human immune cells primed with SP-D might have an altered response to helminth antigen. These findings point toward the need for further investigation into the novel role of SP-D in the control of human helminth infections in the context of immune physiology, as a biomarker and eventually treatment option."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32585"],"dc:publisher.department":["Division of Immunology"],"dc:subject":["Clinical Science and Immunology"],"dc:title":["The role of Surfacant Protein D in the control of human helminth infections"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MSc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:38Z"}