David Wagner, PhD

Professional Titles

• Associate Professor
• Chief Scientific Officer
• Head, Immunology Section

Recognitions

• Philip R. Lee Award in Diabetes Research, American Diabetes Association (2010)
  This award is given to the highest scoring Career Development Award Grant administered by the ADA. A typical year has over 400 applicants.

Publications

• Vaitaitis GM, Wagner DH Jr. Slow Subcutaneous Release of Glatiramer Acetate or CD40-Targeting Peptide KGYY(6) Is More Advantageous in Treating Ongoing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Neurol Int. 2024 Nov 20;16(6):1540-1551. PubMed PMID: 39585073
• Vaitaitis G, Webb T, Webb C, Sharkey C, Sharkey S, Waid D, Wagner DH. Canine diabetes mellitus demonstrates multiple markers of chronic inflammation including Th40 cell increases and elevated systemic-immune inflammation index, consistent with autoimmune dysregulation. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1319947. PubMed PMID: 38318506
• Curran C, Vaitaitis G, Waid D, Volmer T, Alverez E, Wagner DH: Ocrevus reduces TH40 cells, a biomarker of systemic inflammation, in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS). J Neuroimmunol 2023, 374:578008
• Vaitaitis GM, Wagner DH, Jr.: Modulating CD40 and integrin signaling in the proinflammatory nexus using a 15-amino-acid peptide, KGYY(15). J Biol Chem 2023, 299(5):104625.
• Frank FM, Wagner DH, Jr., Postan M, Petray PB: Importance of CD40/CD40 dyad in the course of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi: Impact of its inhibition. Microb Pathog 2023, 183:106327.
• Wagner, DH and Bleich D: Multiple Immune Pathways to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Lessons Learned from Human Clinical Trials and Animal Models of Disease. Med Res Acrh. 11(11) 2023
• Not available yet "Understanding Inflammation During Type 1 Diabetes"
• Frontiers in Neurology "Ocrelizumab Anti-CD20 Treatment Regulates TH40 Cells, A Biomarker of Systemic Inflammation, In All Disease Courses of Multiple Sclerosis" ON TIME Christian Curran, Gisela Vaitaitis, Dan Waid, Enrique Alverez, Enrique Alverez and David H Wagner
• Curran C, Vaitaitis G, Waid D, Volmer T, Alverez E, Wagner DH. Ocrevus reduces TH40 cells, a biomarker of systemic inflammation, in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS). J Neuroimmunol. 2022 Dec 7;374:578008. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36535240
• Lu Y, Xu M, Dorrier CE, Zhang R, Mayer CT, Wagner D, McGavern DB, Hodes RJ. CD40 Drives Central Nervous System Autoimmune Disease by Inducing Complementary Effector Programs via B Cells and Dendritic Cells. J Immunol. 2022 Dec 1;209(11):2083-2092. PubMed PMID: 36426970
• Vaitaitis GM, Olmstead MH, Waid DM, Carter JR, Wagner DH Jr. CD40-targeted peptide proposed for type 1 diabetes therapy lacks relevant binding affinity to its cognate receptor. Reply to Pagni PP, Wolf A, Lo Conte M et al [letter]. Diabetologia. 2019 Sep;62(9):1730-1731. PubMed PMID: 31286154
• Vaitaitis GM, Rihanek M, Alkanani AK, Waid DM, Gottlieb PA, Wagner DH. Biomarker discovery in pre-Type 1 Diabetes; Th40 cells as a predictive risk factor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 May 7. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31063181
• Vaitaitis GM, Yussman MG, Wagner DH Jr. A CD40 targeting peptide prevents severe symptoms in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. J Neuroimmunol. 2019 Jul 15;332:8-15. PubMed PMID: 30925295
• Vaitaitis GM, Wagner DH: Are we aiming to miss in translational autoimmunity treatments? F1000Res 2018, 7:1754.
• Bleich D, Wagner DH: Challenges to Reshape the Future of Type 1 Diabetes Research. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018, 103(8):2838-2842.
• Vaitaitis GM, Yussman MG, Waid DM, Wagner DH Jr. Th40 cells (CD4 CD40 Tcells) drive a more severe form of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis than conventional CD4 T cells. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 13;12(2):e0172037. PubMed PMID: 28192476
• Vaitaitis GM, Waid DM, Yussman MG, Wagner DH Jr. CD40-mediated signalling influences trafficking, T-cell receptor expression, and T-cell pathogenesis, in the NOD model of type 1 diabetes. Immunology. 2017 Oct;152(2):243-254. PubMed PMID: 28542921
• Vaitaitis GM, Yussman MG, Waid DM, Wagner DH Jr. Th40 cells (CD4 CD40 Tcells) drive a more severe form of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis than conventional CD4 T cells. PLoS One. 2017;12(2):e0172037. PubMed PMID: 28192476
• Wagner DH Jr. Overlooked Mechanisms in Type 1 Diabetes Etiology: How Unique Costimulatory Molecules Contribute to Diabetogenesis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2017;8:208. PubMed PMID: 28878738
• Wagner DH. Of the multiple mechanisms leading to type 1 diabetes, T cell receptor revision may play a prominent role (is type 1 diabetes more than a single disease?). Clin Exp Immunol. 2016 Sep;185(3):271-80. PubMed PMID: 27271348
• Vaitaitis, GM, Waid, DM, and Wagner, DH "TH40 cells (CD4+CD40+) drive a more severe form of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis than conventional CD4 T cells." Resubmission, 2016"
• The role of CD40 predicting type 1 diabetes, 2015. Diabetes
• Deng G, Carter J, Traystman RJ, Wagner DH, Herson PS. Pro-inflammatory T-lymphocytes rapidly infiltrate into the brain and contribute to neuronal injury following cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. J Neuroimmunol. 2014 Sep 15;274(1-2):132-40. PubMed PMID: 25084739
• Waid DM, Schreiner T, Vaitaitis G, Carter JR, Corboy JR, Wagner DH Jr. Defining a new biomarker for the autoimmune component of Multiple Sclerosis: Th40 cells. J Neuroimmunol. 2014 May 15;270(1-2):75-85. PubMed PMID: 24690203
• Vaitaitis GM, Olmstead MH, Waid DM, Carter JR, Wagner DH Jr. A CD40-targeted peptide controls and reverses type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. Diabetologia. 2014 Nov;57(11):2366-73. PubMed PMID: 25104468
• Vaitaitis GM, Wagner DH Jr. CD40 interacts directly with RAG1 and RAG2 in autoaggressive T cells and Fas prevents CD40-induced RAG expression. Cell Mol Immunol. 2013 Nov;10(6):483-9. PubMed PMID: 24037181
• Vaitaitis GM, Carter JR, Waid DM, Olmstead MH, Wagner DH Jr. An alternative role for Foxp3 as an effector T cell regulator controlled through CD40. J Immunol. 2013 Jul 15;191(2):717-25. PubMed PMID: 23776180
• Vaitaitis, G. M., and D. H. Wagner, Jr. 2012. Galectin-9 controls CD40 signaling through a Tim-3 independent mechanism and redirects the cytokine profile of pathogenic T cells in autoimmunity. PLoS One 7:e38708.
• Carter, J., G. M. Vaitaitis, D. M. Waid, and D. H. Wagner, Jr. 2012. CD40 engagement of CD4+ CD40+ T cells in a neo-self antigen disease model ablates CTLA-4 expression and indirectly impacts tolerance. Eur J Immunol 42:424-435.
• Wagner, D. H., Jr. 2012. The specific antigen approach in multiple sclerosis: can it ever be enough? Clin Immunol 144:139-141.
• Carter, J., G. M. Vaitaitis, D. M. Waid, and D. H. Wagner. 2012. CD40 engagement of CD4(+) CD40(+) T cells in a neo-self antigen disease model ablates CTLA-4 expression and indirectly impacts tolerance. Eur J Immunol 42:424-435.
• The role of T cells in type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis, genetics and immunotherapy. Editor: David H. Wagner Jr., Intech, Rijeka Croatia ISBN 978-953-307-362-0
• Jun, D. H., C. Garat, J. West, N. Thorn, K. S. Chow, T. Cleaver, T. Sullivan, E. C. Torchia, C. Childs, T. Shade, M. Tadjali, A. Lara, E. Nozik-Grayck, S. Malkoski, B. Sorrentino, B. Meyrick, D. J. Klemm, M. Rojas, D. Wagner, Jr., and S. Majka. The Pathology of Bleomycin Induced Fibrosis is Associated with Loss of Resident Lung Mesenchymal Stem Cells Which Regulate Effector T-Cell Proliferation. Stem Cells.
• Wagner Jr, DH. 2011, “The role of T cells in type 1 diabetes”. Book Chapter. Type 1 Diabetes ", ISBN 978-953-307-362-0.
• Kelsey Chow, Ujala Rana, Karen Helm, David Wagner and Susan Majka. Isolation and Characterization of Mouse Lung Mesenchymal Stem Cells. JoVE. (In Press) 3/2011.
• "The expanding role of TNF-Receptor Super Family member CD40 (tnfrsf5) in Autoimmune Disease: Focus on Th40 cells" Current Immunology Reviews, In Press
• Common Mechanisms in Autoimmunity: Th40 cells in T1D and MS: Proceedings of the International Conference for TNF SuperFamily
• Th40 cells in MS and T1D/Proceedings of the 5th Internation Aegean Conference: Mechanisms and Treatments of Autoimmune Diseases
• Wagner, Jr., DH. 2009. The Co-Evolution of CD40 and Inflammation. Diabetologia, In Press
• Vaitaitis, GM and Wagner, Jr., DH High distribution of CD40 and TRAF2 in Th40 T cell rafts leads to preferential survival of this auto-aggressive population in autoimmunity FASEB Journal
• Pennock, ND and Wagner, Jr., DH "The role of CD40, LKLF and CD14 in Cystic Fiborsis" Journal of Luekocyte Biology
• Wagner, Jr., DH. "Th40 cells in T1D and MS"
• Siebert, J. C., M. Inokuma, D. M. Waid, N. D. Pennock, G. M. Vaitaitis, M. L. Disis, J. F. Dunne, D. H. Wagner, Jr., and H. T. Maecker. 2008. An analytical workflow for investigating cytokine profiles. Cytometry A 73:289.
• Waid, DM, Vaitaitis, GM, Pennock, ND and Wagner, Jr., DH. (In Press)Disruption of the homeostatic balance between autoaggressive (CD4+CD40+) and regulatory (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) T cells promotes diabetes. Pub date August 1, 2008
• Vaitaitis, GM and Wagner, Jr., DH (In Press):High Distribution of CD40 and TRAF2 in Th40 T cell Rafts Leads to Preferential Survival of This Auto-Aggressive Population in Autoimmunity, PLoS One Pub date: April 1, 2008
• GM Vaitaitis, Pennock, ND, baker, RL, Barbour, GM, Haskins, K and Wagner Jr., DH. (2008) TCR revision as a mechanism of peripheral tolerance. J. Immunol. (In Press).
• Waid, DM, Vaitaitis, GM, Pennock, ND and Wagner Jr., DH. 2008. Disruption of the homeostatic balance between Th40 and Treg cells in type 1 diabetes. FASEB J, (In Press)
• Waid, DM, Vaitaitis, GM, Wagner, RJ, Pennock, ND, Corboy J, Gottlieb,P and Wagner Jr., DH. 2008. CD40+ T cells are autoaggressive in type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. (In Press)
• Waid, D. M., G. M. Vaitaitis, N. D. Pennock, and D. H. Wagner, Jr. 2008. Disruption of the homeostatic balance between autoaggressive (CD4+CD40+) and regulatory (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) T cells promotes diabetes. J Leukoc Biol 84:431.
• Vaitaitis, G. M., and D. H. Wagner, Jr. 2008. High distribution of CD40 and TRAF2 in Th40 T cell rafts leads to preferential survival of this auto-aggressive population in autoimmunity. PLoS ONE 3:e2076.
• Siebert, J. C., M. Inokuma, D. M. Waid, N. D. Pennock, G. M. Vaitaitis, M. L. Disis, J. F. Dunne, D. H. Wagner, Jr., and H. T. Maecker. 2008. An analytical workflow for investigating cytokine profiles. Cytometry A 73:289.
• Baker, R. L., D. H. Wagner, Jr., and K. Haskins. 2008. CD40 on NOD CD4 T cells contributes to their activation and pathogenicity. J Autoimmun 31:385.
• Wagner, J., D.H., Reshaping the T cel repertoire: TCR editing and TCR revision for Good and for Bad. Clin Immunol 2007. I123: 1-6.
• Waid, DM, Wagner, B, Putnam, A, Vaitaitis, GM, Calverley, D. Pennock, ND, Gottleib, P, and Wagner, Jr., DH. "A Unique T Cell Subset Described as CD4loCD40+ T cells (TCD40) in Human Type 1 Diabetes" 2007 Clinical Immunology, In press
• CD40 in Human Type 1 diabetes, (Proceedings of FOCIS)
• Wagner, J., D.H. 2007. Reshaping the T cell repertoire: TCR editing and TCR revision for Good and for Bad. Clin Immunol I123:1.
• Waid, D. M., R. J. Wagner, A. Putnam, G. M. Vaitaitis, N. D. Pennock, D. C. Calverley, P. Gottlieb, and D. H. Wagner, Jr. 2007. A unique T cell subset described as CD4loCD40+ T cells (TCD40) in human type 1 diabetes. Clin Immunol 124:138.
• Carter, JR, Vaitaitis, GM, Waid DM and Wagner Jr, DH. “CD40 Engagement Ablates CTLA-4 Expression on Th40 Effector Cells: A Mechanism for Breach of Tolerance” Under Review.

Practice Locations

Specialty Information

• Pulmonary Disease