RESEARCH

Dr. Javed N Agrewala’s group has pioneered research in the area of ‘costimulatory molecules’ and ‘pathogen regulated receptors’ mediated regulation of immune system (J Immunol. 1994; Eur J Immunol. 1994; J Immunol. 1998; J Biol Chem. 2002; J Biol. Chem. 2007; Immunol Rev. 2006; J Infect Dis. 2015; Sci Rep. 2015a, 2015b, Front Immunol. 2016, 2017, 2018). His original discoveries relate to an understanding of the role of costimulatory molecules in suppressing the growth of B cell lymphomas, which was a revelation in the field of cancer. This study encouraged Biogene, Pharma Company to develop therapeutic antibodies against CD80 to treat patients suffering from refractory and relapsed follicular lymphomas (J ClinOncol. 2005).


The group has made seminal contributions in the area of novel vaccination strategies against M. tuberculosis [J Infect Dis. 2004, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015; J Proteome Res. 2008, Trends Mol Medicine 2012; Crit Rev Microbiol. 2011, 2015, 2017, Sci Rep. 2016; Front Microbiol. 2015; Clin Exp Immunol. 2015; J Transl Med 2017; USA Patent 2004, 2016]. Recently, the group has engineered a chimeric vaccine with the help of Prof. David C. Jackson, Melbourne University, Australia that comprised of a promiscuous peptide of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and a TLR-2 agonist Pam2Cys. The construct induces enduring memory T cell response and imparts better protection than BCG. Currently, the group has initiated a collaborative study with Prof Kim Janda, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA to develop vaccines against narcotics.


The group explores environmental and gut microbes for human welfare. In this connection, they have discovered a novel role of ‘Caerulomycin A’ [secreted by actinomycetes] as an immunosuppressive agent by restraining the activation of T cells and increasing the survival of allogeneic skin grafts and ameliorating the symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases [United States Patent No. 8,114,895: 2012; Autoimmunity 2017; Sci Rep. 2015; J Biol Chem. 2014; PloS One 2014; Transplantation 2014]. The group has in-depth elucidated the mechanism of action involved in the immunosuppression and suggested that Caerulomycin A enhances TGF-β-Smad3 protein signaling by suppressing IFN-γ signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 protein signaling to expand Tregs. Importantly, the technology has been developed on this immunosuppressive molecule and licensed for 3 million US dollars to Nostrum Pharma, USA. Further, the group has observed that gut microbes can contribute in preventing tuberculosis [Crit Rev Microbiol. 2014, Front Immunol. 2017].


RESEARCH INTERESTS
  • Human Microbiome

  • Development of vaccines against TB and narcotics

RESEARCH GRANTS
  • Generation of promiscuous peptides entrapped nanoparticles displaying TLR-2 ligand to impart protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis [DST-SERB, 2018-2021] .

  • Enhancement of the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of lipopeptide vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis using peptidomimetics and conjugation with isoniazid [2017-2020].