Immunology Graduate Group

Hildegund C. J. Ertl, M.D.
Professor, Wistar Institute

Address: 3601 Spruce Street
Office Phone: (215) 898-3863
Lab Phone: (215) 898-3855
Fax: (215) 898-3953
Email: ertl@wista.wistar.upenn.edu

Dr. Ertl's Wistar Institute page

Education:
M.D., Georg Gottengen University, Goettingen, Germany
B.S., Georg Gottengen University, Goettingen, Germany

Research Interests

The laboratory of Hildegund C.J. Ertl, M.D., is developing preventive and therapeutic vaccines for an array of infectious and noninfectious diseases, including AIDS and some forms of cancer.

Research Summary

The nuclear expression of p53 in murine tumor cells. Cells were plated on glass coverships and immuno- stained for p53. Staining was assessed under a confocal microscope. Upper panel shows immunofluorescence staining of p53, lower panels show double staining for p53 and DNA. GL261 (A,B), 66.1 (C,D) embryonal C57B1/6 fibroblasts (E,F).

One of the goals of the Ertl laboratory is to establish in rodents the immunogenicity of novel vaccine carriers based on E1-deleted chimpanzee serotypes of adenovirus.

The laboratory characterizes aspects of the immune responses to the transgene products expressed by the novel vaccines that are related to the carrier rather than the inserted HIV-1 sequences. The following studies are being conducted: [a] Test the magnitude of the immune responses in relation to vaccine dose and route of application; [b] Define the type of the induced immune response (Th1/Th2); [c] Determine the anatomic distribution of effector or memory T cells (central versus mucosal) depending on the route of immunization; [d] Test for potential interference by pre-existing immunity to unrelated common human serotypes of adenovirus; [e] Determine the effect of heterologous prime boost regimens; [f] Determine the longevity of the response [g] Characterize the initial vaccine-induced inflammatory response. B cell responses are analyzed with a construct expressing gp140 of a reference strain of clade B.

Recent Publications

Kowalczyk, D., Wlazlo, A., Blaszczyk-Thurin, M., Xiang, Z.Q., Giles-Davis, W., Ertl, H.C.J. 2001. A method that allows easy characterization of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. J. Immuno. Meth. 253: 163-175.

Farina, S.F., Gao, G., Xiang, Z.Q., Rux, J.J., Burnett, R.M., Alvira, M.R., Marsh, J., Ertl, H.C.J., Wilson, J.M. 2001. Replication-defective vector based on a chimpanzee adenovirus. J. Virol. 75: 11603-13.

Xiang, Z.Q., Gao, G., Reyes-Sandoval, A., Cohen, C.J., Li, Y., Bergelson, J.M., Wilson, J.M., Ertl, H.C.J. 2002. Novel, adenoviral vaccine carrier based on the chimpanzee serotype 68 for induction of antibodies to a transgene product. J. Virol. 76: 2667-2675.

Blaszczyk-Thurin, M., O, I., Ertl, H.C.J. 2002. An experimental vaccine expressing wild-type p53 for prevention of cancer. Scand. J. Immunol. 56: 361-375.

Cohen, C.J., Xiang, Z.Q., Gao, G.P., Ertl, H.C.J., Wilson, J.M., and Bergelson, J.M. 2002. Chimpanzee adenovirus 68 adapted as a gene delivery vector interacts with the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor. J. Gen. Virol. 83: 151-155.

Kammer, A.R. and Ertl, H.C.J. 2002. Rabies Vaccines: From the Past to the 21st Century. Hybridoma and Hybridomics 21: 123-127.

Lees, C.Y., Briggs, D.J., Wu, X., Davis, R.D., Moore, S.M., Gordon, C., Xiang, Z., Ertl, H.C., Tang, de C.C., Fu, Z.F. 2002. Induction of protective immunity by topic application of a recombinant adenovirus expressing rabies virus glycoprotein. Veterinary Microbiology. 85: 295-303.

Cudic, M., Ertl, H.C.J., and Otvos, Jr., L. 2002. Synthesis, conformation and T-Helper cell stimulation of an O-linked glycoprotein epitope containing extended carbohydrate side-chains. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chem. 10: 3859-3870 .

O, I., Ku, G., Ertl, H.C.J. and Blaszczyk-Thurin, M. 2002. A dendritic cell vaccine induces protective immunity to intracranial growth of glioma. Anticancer Res. 22: 613-621.

Cudic, M., Ertl, H.C.J., Otvos. L. 2002. Synthesis, conformation and T helper cell stimulation of an o-linked glycopeptide epitope containing extended carbohydrate side-chains. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 10: 3859 - 38-70.

Ertl, H.C.J. 2002. Viral Immunology. In Fundamental Immunology, W.E. Paul, ed. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA.

Vinner, L., Wee, E.G.T., Patel, S., Corbet, S., Gao, G.P., Therrien, D., Nielsen, C., Wilson, J.M., Ertl, H.C., Hanke, T., Fomsgaard, A. 2002. Immunogenicity in Mamu-A01 Rhesus Macques of a CR5-Tropic HIV-1 envelop from the primary isolate (Bx08) after synthetic DNA prime and recombinant adenovirus-5 boost. Statens Serum Institut web communiqué.

Deng, H., Kowalczyk, D.W., O, I., Blaszczyk-Thurin, M., Xiang, Z.Q., Giles-Davis, W., and Ertl, H.C.J. 2002. A modified DNA vaccine to p53 induces protective immunity to challenge with a chemically induced sarcoma cell line. Cell. Immunol. 215: 20-31.

Pinto AR, Ertl HC. 2002. Genetically modified adenoviruses as recombinant vaccines. Curr. Top. Virol. 2:69-84.

Ertl, H.C.J. 2003. Cytokines and immunomodulatory ligands as genetic adjuvants. DNA Vaccines, Ertl, H.C.J., ed. Landes Biosciece, Houston, TX & Kluwer Academic, Plenum Publishers, New York, NY.

DNA Vaccines. 2003. Ertl, H.C.J., ed. Landes Biosciece, Houston, TX & Kluwer Academic, Plenum Publishers, New York, NY.

Jackson, A.C., Mary J. Warrell, M.J., Rupprecht, C.E., C. J. Ertl, H.C., Dietzschold, B., O'Reilly, M., Leach, R.P., Fu, Z.F., Wunner, W.H., Bleck, T.P., and Wilde, H. 2003. Management of rabies in humans. Clin. Infect. Dis. 36: 60-63.

Fitzgerald, J., Gao, G.P., Reyes-Sandoval, A., Pavlakis, G.N., Xiang, Z.Q., Wlazlo, A.P., Giles-Davis, W., Wilson, J., and Ertl, H.C.J. 2003. A simian replication-defective adenoviral recombinant vaccine to HIV-1 gag. J. Immunol. 170: 1416-1422.

Z. Q. Xiang, G. P. Gao, Y. Li, J. M. Wilson, and H. CJ. Ertl. 2003. T Helper cell-independent antibody responses to the transgene product of the E1-deleted adenoviral vaccine require NK1.1 T cells. Virology, 305: 397-405.

Vinner, L., Wee, EG, Patel, S., Corbet, S., Gao, GP, Nielsen, C., Wilson, J.M., Ertl, H.C.J., Hanke, T., Fomsgaard , A. 2003. Immunogenicity in Mamu-A*01 rhesus macaques of a CCR5-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope from the primary isolate (Bx08) after synthetic DNA prime and recombinant adenovirus 5 boost . J. Gen. Virol., 84: 203-213.

Ertl, H.C. 2003. Technology evaluation: ALVAC-CEA/B7.1, Aventis Pasteur/Therion. Curr. Opin. Mol. Ther. 4:601-605.

 

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