Mark R. Schleiss, M.D.

Co-Director, CIDMTR
Professor
American Legion Chair of Pediatrics
Director, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Congenital infection with CMV is a major public health problem in the United States today, and is responsible for substantial morbidity in newborns. Dr. Schleiss is engaged in the study of CMV vaccines, immunopathogenesis, and placental infection. Using a variety of vaccine strategies, including purified protein subunit and DNA vaccines, his lab is evaluating the extent of protection of the maternal-placental-fetal unit against CMV infection and disease, using animal models of infection. These studies integrate molecular virology with immunological endpoints to understand in greater detail the aspects of the maternal immune response that are critical in protection of the fetus. Translational research is examining the feasibility of establishing newborn screening programs for congenital CMV infection.

Selected publications:

Schleiss MR, Jensen NJ. Cloning and expression of the guinea pig cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (gB) in a recombinant baculovirus: utility for vaccine studies for the prevention of experimental infection. J Virol Methods. 2003;108(1):59-65.

Schleiss MR, Bourne N, Bravo FJ, et al. Quantitative-competitive PCR monitoring of viral load following experimental guinea pig cytomegalovirus infection. J Virol Methods. 2003;108(1):103-10.

Schleiss MR. Vertically transmitted herpesvirus infections. Herpes. 2003;10(1):4-11.

Xanthakos SA, Schleiss MR. Glycoprotein B genotyping of cytomegalovirus strains isolated in a pediatric population. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2003;22(5):462-3.

Haggerty SM, Schleiss MR. A novel CC-chemokine homolog encoded by guinea pig cytomegalovirus. Virus Genes. 2002;25(3):271-9.

Penfold M, Miao Z, Wang Y, Haggerty S, Schleiss MR. A macrophage inflammatory protein homolog encoded by guinea pig cytomegalovirus signals via CC chemokine receptor 1. Virology. 2003;316(2):202-12.

Schleiss MR, Bourne N, Bernstein DI. Preconception vaccination with a glycoprotein B (gB) DNA vaccine protects against cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in the guinea pig model of congenital CMV infection. J Infect Dis. 2003;188(12):1868-74.

McGregor A, Schleiss MR. Herpesvirus genome mutagenesis by transposon-mediated strategies. Methods Mol Biol. 2004;256:281-302.

McGregor A, Liu F, Schleiss MR. Identification of essential and non-essential genes of the guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) genome via transposome mutagenesis of an infectious BAC clone. Virus Res. 2004;101(2):101-8.

Schleiss MR, Bourne N, Stroup G, et al. Protection against congenital cytomegalovirus infection and disease in guinea pigs, conferred by a purified recombinant glycoprotein B vaccine. J Infect Dis. 2004;189(8):1374-81.

McGregor A, Liu F, Schleiss MR. Molecular, biological, and in vivo characterization of the guinea pig cytomegalovirus (CMV) homologs of the human CMV matrix proteins pp71 (UL82) and pp65 (UL83). J Virol. 2004;78(18):9872-89.

Blackman SC , Lurain NS , Witte DP, Filipovich AH, Groen P, Schleiss MR. Emergence and compartmentalization of fatal multi-drug-resistant cytomegalovirus infection in a patient with autosomal-recessive severe combined immune deficiency. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2004;26(9):601-5.

Schleiss MR, McVoy MA. Overview of congenitally and perinatally acquired cytomegalovirus infections: recent advances in antiviral therapy. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2004;2(3):389-403.

Schleiss MR, Bernstein DI, Passo M, Parker S, Meric C, Verdier F, Newkirk MM. Lack of induction of autoantibody responses following immunization with cytomegalovirus (CMV) glycoprotein B (gB) in healthy CMV-seronegative subjects. Vaccine. 2004;23(5):687-92.

Schleiss MR, Bernstein DI, McVoy MA, Stroup G, Bravo F, Creasy B, McGregor A, Henninger K, Hallenberger S. The non-nucleoside antiviral, BAY 38-4766, protects against cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease and mortality in immunocompromised guinea pigs. Antiviral Res. 2005;65(1):35-43.

Schleiss MR. Antiviral therapy of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. 2005;16(1):50-9.

Schleiss MR, Heineman TC. Progress toward an elusive goal: current status of cytomegalovirus vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2005;4(3):381-406.

Madden C, Wiley S, Schleiss MR, Benton C, Meinzen-Derr J, Greinwald J, Choo D. Audiometric, clinical and educational outcomes in a pediatric symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) population with sensorineural hearing loss. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2005;69(9):1191-8.

Other links

http://www.virology.umn.edu/virology/Investigators/schleiss.html
http://www.med.umn.edu/peds/id/faculty/schleissmark/home.html