Calman Prussin, M.D.

Chief, Adverse Reactions to Vaccines and Biologics Unit
Tenure-Track Investigator

Dr. Prussin received his M.D. at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Following a postdoctoral fellowship in the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology at NIAID, he completed his allergy and immunology clinical fellowship at NIH (1991-1995). In 1996, Dr. Prussin joined the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases as head of the Clinical Allergy Unit. From 2000 to 2007, Dr. Prussin was the associate director of the NIH Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Training Program. In 2007, Dr. Prussin was named the chief of the Adverse Reactions to Vaccines and Biologics Unit.

Description of Research Program

Eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs), including eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) and eosinophilic gastroenteritis, are characterized by eosinophilic inflammation of the gut and, in 50 to 75 percent of cases, multiple food allergies. EE is an emerging allergic disease, the incidence of which has increased markedly in the past 10 years. Because of the multiple food allergies associated with these disorders, EGIDs provide a unique insight into the dysregulated immune response that is characteristic of food allergy. Current laboratory studies are focused on characterizing the role of food allergen-specific T cells in the pathogenesis of EGIDs, as well as their role in conventional food allergy to peanuts. The techniques that have been developed to examine food allergen-specific T-cell responses in these pathogenesis studies will be used in future studies of immmunomodulatory therapies against these disorders.

Human allergen-specific T cells are the product of persistent and recurrent antigen exposure and provide unique insights into Th2 biology and the role of Th2 cells in human disease. Current studies use polychromatic flow cytometry and molecular biology to examine the regulation of Th2 cytokine expression in allergen-specific T cells.

Memberships

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (Fellow); Commissioned Officers Association

Editorial Board

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Research Group Members

Barbara Foster, M.S.; Bhaskar Upadhyaya, Ph.D.; Sofia Chaudhry, M.D.; Wei Lu, R.N., M.S.

Major Areas of Research

• Regulation of human Th2 cytokine responses
• Eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal disorders—pathogenesis and treatment
• Food allergy—pathogenesis and treatment
• Immunological therapy of allergic diseases

Selected Recent Publications

To view a complete listing, visit PubMed.

Foroughi S, Foster B, Kim N, Bernardino LB, Scott LM, Hamilton RG, Metcalfe DD, Mannon PJ, Prussin C. Anti-IgE Treatment of Eosinophil Associated Gastrointestinal Disorders. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007;120:594-601.

Foster B, Metcalfe DD, Prussin C. Human dendritic cell 1 and dendritic cell 2 subsets express FcepsilonRI: Correlation with serum IgE and allergic asthma. Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:1132-8.

Prussin C, Griffith DT, Boesel KM, Lin H, Foster B, Casale TB. Omalizumab treatment downregulates dendritic cell FcepsilonRI expression. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:1147-54.

Devouassoux G, Metcalfe DD, Prussin C. Eotaxin potentiates antigen-dependent basophil IL-4 production. J Immunol. 1999;163:2877-82.

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