DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Cancer Immunology

Research Abstract

Our lab focuses on the study of subpopulations of human and murine CD4+ T cells, which play a central role in the regulation of adaptive immunity and tolerance. The laboratory studies CD4+ T cells in humans and in mice, examining the function of CD4+ alphaß TCR T cells, antigen-specific regulatory T cells, as well as iNKT cells in regulating immune responses. We are interested in the cellular, molecular and genetic mechanisms that control the interaction of T cells with dendritic cells and that regulate cytokine synthesis in and the function of regulatory T cells and iNKT cells in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. We are particularly interested in the function and immunology of the TIM family of genes, which we discovered several years ago, and which regulate the development of autoimmune and allergic diseases.

Publications

• Umetsu SE, Lee WL, McIntire JJ, Downey L, Sanjanwala B, Akbari O, Berry GJ, Nagumo H, Freeman GJ, Umetsu DT, DeKruyff RH.TIM-1 induces T cell activation and inhibits the development of peripheral tolerance.Nat Immunol 2005 May;6(5):447-54.
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• Stock P, Akbari O, Berry G, Freeman GJ, Dekruyff RH, Umetsu DT.Induction of T helper type 1-like regulatory cells that express Foxp3 and protect against airway hyper-reactivity.Nat Immunol 2004 Nov;5(11):1149-56.
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• McIntire JJ, Umetsu SE, Macaubas C, Hoyte EG, Cinnioglu C, Cavalli-Sforza LL, Barsh GS, Hallmayer JF, Underhill PA, Risch NJ, Freeman GJ, DeKruyff RH, Umetsu DT.Immunology: hepatitis A virus link to atopic disease.Nature 2003 Oct 9;425(6958):576.
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• Akbari O, Stock P, Meyer E, Kronenberg M, Sidobre S, Nakayama T, Taniguchi M, Grusby MJ, DeKruyff RH, Umetsu DT.Essential role of NKT cells producing IL-4 and IL-13 in the development of allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity.Nat Med 2003 May;9(5):582-8.
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• Akbari O, Freeman GJ, Meyer EH, Greenfield EA, Chang TT, Sharpe AH, Berry G, DeKruyff RH, Umetsu DT.Antigen-specific regulatory T cells develop via the ICOS-ICOS-ligand pathway and inhibit allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity.Nat Med 2002 Sep;8(9):1024
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