C. Jane Welsh

Rank

Associate Professor

Department

Veterinary Anatomy

Phone

(979) 862 4974

Fax

(979) 845 9972

Email Address

jwelsh@cvm.tamu.edu

Distinguished Awards

1994 Division of Student Affairs Women's Week Award to Faculty for providing an environment which is conducive to the needs of women


My lab focuses on the role of viruses in the induction of autoimmune diseases using Theiler’s virus-induced demyelination (TVID) as a model for multiple sclerosis. The nature of research in this area is multi-disciplinary entailing, virology, neuropathology, genetics, molecular biology, behaviorial neuroscience and immunology.

Current Projects

1. The role of stress in TVID
In collaboration with Drs Mary Meagher, Ralph Storts and Tom Welsh we are studying the effect of stress on acute and chronic Theiler’s virus infection in the CNS (funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and NINDS). Stress has been implicated in the onset and exacerbations of MS and we are examining potential mechanisms in our model system.

2. Endothelial cells
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MS and TVID. In order to further investigate the BBB, we have isolated and cloned cerebrovascular endothelial cells (that form the BBB) from strains of mice that are either resistant or susceptible to TVID. The panel of endothelial cells has been used to investigate correlations between molecular changes induced by viral infection and susceptibility to demyelination. In addition, we are examining the mechanisms of virus-induced apoptosis in CVE.

3. IFN-tau therapy in TVID
Interferon alpha/beta has proved to be a successful therapy for MS although patients suffer from severe side effects such as depression. In collaboration with Fuller Bazer we have found that IFN-tau (a novel IFN produced by ruminants) is an effective treatment for TVID. IFN-tau increased serum IL-10 levels which decreases pathogenic delayed type hypersensitivity responses to myelin. These findings have important implications in the treatment of MS.


  1. Young EE, Prentice TW, Satterlee D, McCullough H, Sieve AN, Johnson RR, Welsh TH, Welsh CJ & Meagher MW (2008) Glucocorticoid exposure alters the pathogenesis of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus during acute infection. Physiol Behav 95: 63-71
  2. Meagher MW, Johnson RR, Young EE, Vichaya EG, Lunt S, Hardin EA, Connor MA & Welsh CJ (2007) Interleukin-6 as a mechanism for the adverse effects of social stress on acute Theiler's virus infection. Brain Behav Immun 21: 1083-95
  3. Mi W, Young CR, Storts RW, Steelman AJ, Meagher MW & Welsh CJ (2006) Restraint stress facilitates systemic dissemination of Theiler's virus and alters its pathogenecity. Microb Pathog 41: 133-43
  4. Villarreal D, Young CR, Storts R, Ting JW & Welsh CJ (2006) A comparison of the neurotropism of Theiler's virus and poliovirus in CBA mice. Microb Pathog 41: 149-56
  5. Mi W, Prentice TW, Young CR, Johnson RR, Sieve AN, Meagher MW & Welsh CJ (2006) Restraint stress decreases virus-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression during acute Theiler's virus infection. J Neuroimmunol 178: 49-61
  6. Sieve AN, Steelman AJ, Young CR, Storts R, Welsh TH, Welsh CJ & Meagher MW (2006) Sex-dependent effects of chronic restraint stress during early Theiler's virus infection on the subsequent demyelinating disease in CBA mice. J Neuroimmunol 177: 46-62
  7. Johnson RR, Prentice TW, Bridegam P, Young CR, Steelman AJ, Welsh TH, Welsh CJ & Meagher MW (2006) Social stress alters the severity and onset of the chronic phase of Theiler's virus infection. J Neuroimmunol 175: 39-51
  8. Sieve AN, Steelman AJ, Young CR, Storts R, Welsh TH, Welsh CJ & Meagher MW (2004) Chronic restraint stress during early Theiler's virus infection exacerbates the subsequent demyelinating disease in SJL mice. J Neuroimmunol 155: 103-18
  9. Mi W, Belyavskyi M, Johnson RR, Sieve AN, Storts R, Meagher MW & Welsh CJ (2004) Alterations in chemokine expression following Theiler's virus infection and restraint stress. J Neuroimmunol 151: 103-15
  10. Johnson RR, Storts R, Welsh TH Jr, Welsh CJ & Meagher MW (2004) Social stress alters the severity of acute Theiler's virus infection. J Neuroimmunol 148: 74-85
  11. Welsh CJ, Bustamante L, Nayak M, Welsh TH, Dean DD & Meagher MW (2004) The effects of restraint stress on the neuropathogenesis of Theiler's virus infection II: NK cell function and cytokine levels in acute disease. Brain Behav Immun 18: 166-74
  12. Park Y, Rangel C, Reynolds MM, Caldwell MC, Johns M, Nayak M, Welsh CJ, McDermott S & Datta S (2003) Drosophila perlecan modulates FGF and hedgehog signals to activate neural stem cell division. Dev Biol 253: 247-57
  13. Tennakoon DK, Smith R, Stewart MD, Spencer TE, Nayak M & Welsh CJ (2001) Ovine IFN-tau modulates the expression of MHC antigens on murine cerebrovascular endothelial cells and inhibits replication of Theiler's virus. J Interferon Cytokine Res 21: 785-92
  14. Campbell T, Meagher MW, Sieve A, Scott B, Storts R, Welsh TH & Welsh CJ (2001) The effects of restraint stress on the neuropathogenesis of Theiler's virus infection: I. Acute disease. Brain Behav Immun 15: 235-54
  15. Sapatino BV, Petrescu AD, Rosenbaum BA, Smith R 3rd, Piedrahita JA & Welsh CJ (1995) Characteristics of cloned cerebrovascular endothelial cells following infection with Theiler's virus. II. Persistent infection. J Neuroimmunol 62: 127-35
  16. Welsh CJ, Sapatino BV, Rosenbaum BA & Smith R 3rd (1995) Characteristics of cloned cerebrovascular endothelial cells following infection with Theiler's virus. I. Acute infection. J Neuroimmunol 62: 119-25
  17. Welsh CJ, Sapatino BV, Petrescu A & Piedrahita J (1995) The blood-brain barrier in virus-induced demyelination. Adv Exp Med Biol 383: 105-16
  18. Yong T, Bebo BF Jr, Sapatino BV, Welsh CJ, Orr EL & Linthicum DS (1994) Histamine-induced microvascular leakage in pial venules: differences between the SJL/J and BALB/c inbred strains of mice. J Neurotrauma 11: 161-71
  19. Sapatino BV, Welsh CJ, Smith CA, Bebo BF & Linthicum DS (1993) Cloned mouse cerebrovascular endothelial cells that maintain their differentiation markers for factor VIII, low density lipoprotein, and angiotensin-converting enzyme. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 29A: 923-8

Publications list from Pubmed
 
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