MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract: Goji berries, a medicinal food in China, have recently been shown to enhance immune response in virally infected mice. This finding, however, has not been explored in other types of infectious pathogens. Because immune responses are universally essential in decreasing pathogenesis, we propose that dietary goji berry supplementation may also increase host immunity to both classes of bacterial infections. Goji berry supplementation may reduce prescribed antibiotic dosage, hence growth of antibiotic resistance, and act as a prophylactic, boosting host immunity prior to infection. This study aims to test our above proposition by studying differential pathogenesis of and immune response to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in artificially infected mice given goji berry supplementation. We expect mice given goji berry supplementation to display a boosted immune response via increased cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation, indicated by increased cytokine and lymphocyte levels in comparison to the control. We also expect the experimental mice to display decreased pathogenesis of the bacteria, indicated by decreased weight loss and bacterial load in comparison to the control. By introducing a natural, cheap method of treating bacterial infections, goji berry supplementation could significantly alter the healthcare industry and guarantee more effective treatment methods available to patients.

Reader's Profile: I imagine a reader skeptical of the idea that a person might not believe in natural remedies or may want clinically approved medicines.

Reader's Response: Why would I risk my treatment by using goji berry supplementation, which may not decrease the pathogenesis of the bacterial infection, when I can take an almost guaranteed healthy treatment with antibiotics. Although antibiotic resistance is on the rise, there are always ways to modify antibiotics and disallow ubiquitous and comprehensive antibiotic resistance by bacteria.

WC = 198

Good plan for the NIH mock intra-mural funding program.

One way to address this reader is to think that in future, infection control will rely on integrated strategies including immune "boosting" and not just frank application of wide spectrum antibiotic measures.

Do not forget your AND-BUT-THEREFORE statement email to me.