Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation

Prof Allan Mowat

Prof Allan M Mowat
  • Professor of Mucosal Immunology (Infection Immunity and Inflammation Medicine)

telephone: 01413308414
email: Allan.Mowat@glasgow.ac.uk


The mucosal immune system is the largest part of the immune system, being exposed continuously to a wide variety of antigens of all kinds. It has many unique features, including anatomical specialisation and unusual populations of lymphocytes and antigen presenting cells. Mucosal immunology is the study of these factors.

Because of the physiological importance of mucosal surfaces like the intestine, respiratory tract and reproductive tract, it is essential that they are defended against invasive pathogens by strong protective immune responses. Conversely, many of the antigens that enter these tissues are harmless, or even beneficial, such as food proteins and commensal bacteria. It would be wasteful to make active immune responses against such agents and indeed, the default response to mucosal administration of soluble, non-invasive antigens is the induction of systemic immunological tolerance. In the intestine, this phenomenon is known as “oral tolerance” and a breakdown in oral tolerance may underlie food hypersensitivity diseases such as coeliac disease.

Analogous, inappropriate responses to commensal bacteria also appear to be the cause of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease. One of the most important functions of the intestinal immune system is therefore to discriminate between dangerous and harmless antigens and much of our research focusses on the fundamental mechanisms underlying this process.

Research Themes

    • Effector mechanisms of oral tolerance
    • Use of lipophilic immune stimulating complexes (ISCOMS) as mucosal vaccine vectors
    • Routes of uptake of immunogenic and tolerogenic antigen via the intestine
    • Role of mucosal dendritic cells and other APC in induction of oral tolerance and immunity
    • Site(s) of interaction between orally administered antigen, APC and antigen-specific T cells
    • Role of chemokines and their receptors in intestinal inflammation and tolerance
    • Characterisation of colonic macrophages in health and disease
Jump to: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
Number of items: 35.

2012

Scott, C.L., Aumeunier, A.M. , and Mowat, A.M. (2012) Intestinal CD103+ dendritic cells: master regulators of tolerance? Trends in Immunology . ISSN 1471-4906 (doi:10.1016/j.it.2011.06.003) (In Press)

Semmrich, M., Plantinga, M., Svensson-Frej, M., Uronen-Hansson, H., Gustafsson, T., Mowat, A.M. , Yrlid, U., Lambrecht, B.N., and Agace, W.W. (2012) Directed antigen targeting in vivo identifies a role for CD103+ dendritic cells in both tolerogenic and immunogenic T-cell responses. Mucosal Immunology, 5 (2). pp. 150-160. ISSN 1933-0219 (doi:10.1038/mi.2011.61)

2011

Bain, C.C., and Mowat, A.M. (2011) Intestinal macrophages - specialised adaptation to a unique environment. European Journal of Immunology, 41 (9). pp. 2494-2498. ISSN 0014-2980 (doi:10.1002/eji.201141714)

Mowat, A. (2011) Innate immunity in the intestine. Journal of Innate Immunity, 3 (6). pp. 541-542. ISSN 1662-811X (doi:10.1159/000333043)

Mowat, A.M., and Bain, C.C. (2011) Mucosal macrophages in intestinal homeostasis and inflammation. Journal of Innate Immunity, 3 (6). pp. 550-564. ISSN 1662-811X (doi:10.1159/000329099)

Scott, C.L., Aumeunier, A.M. , and Mowat, A.M. (2011) Intestinal CD103+ dendritic cells: master regulators of tolerance? Trends in Immunology, 32 (9). pp. 412-419. ISSN 1471-4906 (doi:10.1016/j.it.2011.06.003)

2010

Geissmann, F., Gordon, S., Hume, D.A., Mowat, A.M. , and Randolph, G.J. (2010) Unravelling mononuclear phagocyte heterogeneity. Nature Reviews Immunology, 10 (6). pp. 453-460. ISSN 1474-1733 (doi:10.1038/nri2784)

Mowat, A. M. (2010) Does TLR2 regulate intestinal inflammation? European Journal of Immunology, 40 (2). pp. 318-320. ISSN 0014-2980 (doi:10.1002/eji.200940232)

Platt, A.M., Bain, C.C., Bordon, Y. , Sester, D.P., and Mowat, A.M. (2010) An Independent Subset of TLR Expressing CCR2-Dependent Macrophages Promotes Colonic Inflammation. Journal of Immunology, 184 (12). pp. 6843-6854. ISSN 0022-1767 (doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0903987)

2009

Bordon, Y., Hansell, C.A.H. , Sester, D., Clarke, M. , Mowat, A. , and Nibbs, R.J. (2009) The atypical chemokine receptor D6 contributes to the development of experimental colitis. Journal of Immunology, 182 (8). pp. 5032-5040. ISSN 0022-1767 (doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0802802)

2008

Monteleone, I, Platt, A , Jaensson, E, Agace, WW, and Mowat, AM (2008) IL-10-dependent partial refractoriness to Toll-like receptor stimulation modulates gut mucosal dendritic cell function. European Journal of Immunology, 38 (6). pp. 1533-1547. ISSN 0014-2980 (doi:10.1002/eji.200737909)

Platt, A, and Mowat, AM (2008) Mucosal macrophages and the regulation of immune responses in the intestine. Immunology Letters, 119 (1-2). pp. 22-31.

Robson, NC, Donachie, A , and Mowat, AM (2008) Simultaneous presentation and cross-presentation of immune-stimulating complex-associated cognate antigen by antigen-specific B cells. European Journal of Immunology, 38 (5). pp. 1238-1246. ISSN 0014-2980 (doi:10.1002/eji.200737758)

2007

Morton, AM, McManus, B, Garside, P, Mowat, AM , and Harnett, M (2007) Inverse Rap1 and phospho-ERK expression discriminate the maintenance phase of tolerance and priming of antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells in vitro and in vivo. Journal of Immunology, 179 (12). pp. 8026-8034.

2006

Aguila, A, Donachie, AM, McSharry, CP, Mowat, AM , Peyre, M, and Sesardic, D (2006) Induction of protective and mucosal immunity against diphtheria by a immune stimulating complex (ISCOMS) based vaccine. Vaccine, 24 . pp. 5201-5210. ISSN 0264-410X (doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.03.081)

Beackock-Sharp, H, Donachie, AM, Helgeby, A, Lovgren, K, Lycke, NY, Mowat, A , Robson, NC, and Schon, K (2006) The combined CTA1-DD/ISCOM adjuvant vector promotes priming of mucosal and systemic immunity to incorporated antigens by specific targeting of B cells. Journal of Immunology, 176 . pp. 3697-3706.

Mowat, AM, and Strobel, S (2006) Oral tolerance and allergic responses to food proteins. Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 6 . pp. 207-213.

2005

Beacock-Sharp, H, Chirdo, FG, Millington, OR, and Mowat, AM (2005) Immunomodulatory dendritic cells in intestinal lamina propria. European Journal of Immunology, 35 (6). pp. 1831-1840.

Grierson, AM, Mitchell, P, Adams, CL, Mowat, AM , Brewer, JM , Harnett, MM , and Garside, P (2005) Direct quantitation of T cell signaling by laser scanning cytometry. Journal of Immunological Methods, 301 . pp. 140-153. (doi:10.1016/j.jim.2005.04.011)

Mowat, AM (2005) Dendritic cells and immune responses to orally administered antigens. Vaccine, 23 . pp. 1797-1799. ISSN 0264-410X (doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2004.11.008)

2004

Adams, CL, Grierson, AM, Mowat, AM , Harnett, MM , and Garside, P (2004) Differences in the kinetics, amplitude, and localization of ERK activation in anergy and priming revealed at the level of individual primary T cells by laser scanning cytometry. Journal of Immunology, 173 . pp. 1579-1586.

Chirdo, FG, Millington, OR, and Mowat, AM (2004) Anatomical and cellular basis of immunity and tolerance in the intestine. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 39 . S723-S724.

Church, NI, Dallal, HJ, Fullarton, G, Johnston, DA, Masson, J, Mowat, A , Palmer, KR, Prescott, RJ, Radin, E, and Turner, M (2004) Discussion on a randomized trial comparing heater probe plus thrombin with heater probe plus placebo for bleeding peptic ulcer - Reply. Gastroenterology, 126 (3). p. 940.

Courtois, P, Graham, S, Malaisse, WJ, Mowat, AM , Rozing, J, and Scott, FW (2004) Enteropathy precedes type 1 diabetes in the BB rat. Gut, 53 . pp. 1437-1444. (doi:10.1136/gut.2004.042481)

Millington, OR, Mowat, AM , and Garside, P (2004) Induction of bystander suppression by feeding antigen occurs despite normal clonal expansion of the bystander T cell population. Journal of Immunology, 173 . pp. 6059-6064.

Millington, OR, Wei, XQ, Garside, P , and Mowat, AMI (2004) Interleukin-15 is not required for the induction or maintenance of orally induced peripheral tolerance. Immunology, 113 . pp. 304-309. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2567.2004.01965.x)

Smith, KM, Brewer, JM , Mowat, AM , Ron, Y, and Garside, P (2004) The influence of follicular migration on T-cell differentiation. Immunology, 111 . pp. 248-251. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2567.2004.01813.x)

2003

Beacock-Sharp, H, Donachie, AM, Mowat, AM , and Robson, NC (2003) Dendritic cell maturation enhances CD8(+) T-cell responses to exogenous antigen via a proteasome-independent mechanism of major histocompatibility complex class I loading. Immunology, 109 . pp. 374-383.

Beacock-Sharp, H, Donachie, AM, Mowat, AM , and Robson, NC (2003) A role for dendritic cells in the priming of antigen-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes by immune-stimulating complexes in vivo. International Immunology, 15 . pp. 711-720. (doi:10.1093/intimm/dxg067)

Beacock-Sharp, H, Donachie, AM, Mowat, AM , and Robson, NC (2003) The role of antigen-presenting cells and interleukin-12 in the priming of antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells by immune stimulating complexes. Immunology, 110 . pp. 95-104.

Mowat, AM (2003) Anatomical basis of tolerance and immunity to intestinal antigens. Nature Reviews Immunology, 3 (4). pp. 331-341.

Mowat, AM (2003) Coeliac disease - a meeting point for genetics, immunology, and protein chemistry. Lancet, 361 . pp. 1290-1292.

2002

Furrie, E, Mowat, AM , Smith, RE, Strobel, S, and Turner, MW (2002) Induction of local innate immune responses and modulation of antigen uptake as mechanisms underlying the mucosal adjuvant properties of immune stimulating complexes (ISCOMS). Vaccine, 20 . pp. 2254-2262.

2001

Dalsgaard, K, Donachie, AM, Jagewall, S, Kaastrup, P, Lowenadler, B, Lycke, N, Mowat, AMI , and Schon, K (2001) CTA1-DD-Immune stimulating complexes: A novel, rationally designed combined mucosal vaccine adjuvant effective with nanogram doses of antigen. Journal of Immunology, 167 . pp. 3398-3405.

Garside, P, and Mowat, AM (2001) Oral tolerance. Seminars in Immunology, 13 . pp. 177-185. (doi:10.1006/smim.2001.0310)

This list was generated on Fri May 25 03:33:05 2012 BST.
  • Resident and Inflammatory Macrophages in the Intestine
    Wellcome Trust
    2011 - 2014
     
  • Wellcome Trust Open Access Award
    Wellcome Trust
    2011 - 2012
     
  • Elucidating intestinal macrophage biology
    Wellcome Trust
    2009 - 2009
     
  • Targeted Mucosal Vaccination using CTA1DD-ISCOMS Based Adjuvant Vectors
    Wellcome Trust
    2009 - 2012
     
  • The role of chemokine receptor in regulating intestinal inflammation
    MRC
    2007 - 2010
     
  • Indoleamine dioxygenase in intestinal dendritic cell function
    Royal Society
    2006 - 2006
     
  • T cell signalling events in vivo during the induction of immunity and tolerance
    MRC
    2006 - 2009
     
  • Generation of gut tropic T cells by gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) dendritic cells
    Wellcome Trust
    2005 - 2008
     
  • Indentifying the immunomodulatory effects of immune stimulating complexes (ISCOMS) and targeting these to enhance the potential of ....
    Wellcome Trust
    2003 - 2007