U of M | SPH | Mancuso Lab - Pulmonary Immunology and adipokine biology

Peter Mancuso is an interdisciplinary scientist whose research focuses on environmental factors that regulate pulmonary immune responses. He has used cellular, molecular and integrative biology to determine the impact of environmental influences such as obesity, malnutrition, and tobacco smoke exposure on alveolar macrophage and pulmonary innate immune responses to bacterial infection. He is a member of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Thoracic Society. Previous to his academic appointments, he was employed as a food scientist in research and development in the food industry.

Research Areas

Leptin and innate immunity.

We have observed that leptin appears in the lungs during bacterial pneumonia and exogenous administration of this adipocytokine improves pulmonary bacterial clearance. Our focus is to determine the role of intracellular signaling events inititated by the leptin receptor that augment alveolar macrophage effector functions known to play an important role in antibacterial pulmonary host defense.

Cigarette Smoke and susceptability to bacterial pneumonia.

Tobacco smoke exposure is also a potent immune suppressant and smokers are very susceptible to pneumococcal pneumonia. We have found that pulmonary bacterial clearance and alveolar macrophage antibacterial functions are impaired in animals exposed to cigarette smoke for a relatively brief period of time. Since increased susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia remains many years after cigarette smoke.. >> more

Use of LTB4 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia.

Based on our previous work (a collaboration with Marc Peter-Golden of Internal Medicine), leukotriene B4 (LTB4) has potential as an in vivo immunostimulant to enhance defense against pulmonary infections. The goal of this research project is to determine the capacity LTB4 to improve pulmonary bacterial clearance, survival, and antimicrobial mechanisms, in S. pneumoniae-infected mice. Effects of LTB4.. >> more

Obesity, adipokines, and cardiovascular risk factors in women.

In this study, our (in collaboration with Rachel Wildman of Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Mary Fran Sowers of the Dept of Epidemiology) efforts are focused on the characterization, development and longitudinal progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in relation to biochemical markers of obesity metabolism in a multi-ethnic population of women, considering the 10-year period.. >> more

Leptin and innate immunity. We have observed that leptin appears in the lungs during bacterial pneumonia and exogenous administration of this adipocytokine improves pulmonary bacterial clearance. Our focus is to determine the role of intracellular signaling events inititated by the leptin receptor that augment alveolar macrophage effector functions known to play an important role in antibacterial pulmonary host defense.
Cigarette Smoke and susceptability to bacterial pneumonia. Tobacco smoke exposure is also a potent immune suppressant and smokers are very susceptible to pneumococcal pneumonia. We have found that pulmonary bacterial clearance and alveolar macrophage antibacterial functions are impaired in animals exposed to cigarette smoke for a relatively brief period of time. Since increased susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia remains many years after cigarette smoke.. >> more
Use of LTB4 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia. Based on our previous work (a collaboration with Marc Peter-Golden of Internal Medicine), leukotriene B4 (LTB4) has potential as an in vivo immunostimulant to enhance defense against pulmonary infections. The goal of this research project is to determine the capacity LTB4 to improve pulmonary bacterial clearance, survival, and antimicrobial mechanisms, in S. pneumoniae-infected mice. Effects of LTB4.. >> more
Obesity, adipokines, and cardiovascular risk factors in women. In this study, our (in collaboration with Rachel Wildman of Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Mary Fran Sowers of the Dept of Epidemiology) efforts are focused on the characterization, development and longitudinal progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in relation to biochemical markers of obesity metabolism in a multi-ethnic population of women, considering the 10-year period.. >> more