Home → Principle Investigators, Research Themes (FY2009)

Principle Investigators, Research Themes

Hisashi Arase Regulation of immune response and infection by targeting paired receptors.
Taku Okazaki Identification of new therapeutic targets by genetic dissection and reconstitution of autoimmune diseases in mice.
Hajime Karasuyama Novel mechanisms of allergy and its regulation
Tatsuo Kinashi Disregulated of immune-cell trafficking signaling and development of autoimmunity
Tomohiro Kurosaki Development of a novel way to treat autoimmune disease by regulating humoral immune systems
Tadatsugu Taniguchi Analysis of the regulatory mechanisms that underlie nucleic acid-mediated immune responses and its development into therapeutic strategies against immune disorders

Regulation of immune response and infection by targeting paired receptors.

Researcher's name Hisashi Arase
Research Site Osaka University Professor
URL http://immchem.biken.osaka-u.ac.jp
Content Paired receptors that consist of activating and inhibitory receptors play an important role in the regulation of autoimmunity. Paired receptors are also involved in host defense against various infectious diseases. In the present study, we investigate recognition mechanism of a series of paired receptors as well as their functions in immune diseases and infectious diseases. Furthermore, we will develop a novel method to regulate autoimmunity and allergy as well as immunity to pathogens and tumors by modulating the function of paired receptors.

Main Research Collaborators list

Katsumi MaenakaProfessor, Hokkaido University

Identification of new therapeutic targets by genetic dissection and reconstitution of autoimmune diseases in mice.

Researcher's name Taku Okazaki
Research Site The University of Tokushima Professor
URL http://www.genome.tokushima-u.ac.jp/dir/
Content Most of the autoimmune diseases are regulated by multiple genes. However, little is known of the hierarchical genetic regulation of autoimmunity. Recently, we found that the introduction of PD-1 deficiency resulted in the reduction of the number of genetic factors involved in the development of type I diabetes in NOD mice, a mouse model of type I diabetes. In this project, we try to identify all genetic factors required for the development of type I diabetes to unravel the whole regulatory mechanism of type I diabetes. We will also analyze other autoimmune diseases including myocarditis and vasculitis. Based on these genetic studies, we will identify new therapeutic targets of autoimmune diseases.

Novel mechanisms of allergy and its regulation

Researcher's name Hajime Karasuyama
Research Site Tokyo Medical and Dental University Professor
URL http://www.tmd.ac.jp/med/mbch/Immunology.html
Content Allergic disorders have increased in prevalence these days in industrialized countries including Japan, and become an object of public concern. We have recently discovered novel players in the pathogenesis of allergy through studies on basophils and hyper-IgE syndrome. Based on these new findings, in this project we will clarify novel mechanisms of allergy and its regulation at the molecular, cellular and in vivo levels, and explore key strategies toward the development of new therapies for allergic disorders.
Novel mechanisms of allergy and its regulation

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Yoshiyuki MinegishiAssociate Professor, Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Disregulated of immune-cell trafficking signaling and development of autoimmunity

Researcher's name Tatsuo Kinashi
Research Site Kansai Medical University Professor
Content Dynamic trafficking of immune cells throughout the body plays important roles in immunosurveillance. We discovered the small GTpase Rap1 in controlling immune cell trafficking, and have clarified the regulatory mechanism. Unexpectedly, impairment of the Rap1 signaling to control trafficking have led to autoimmunity of multiple organs in mice. This project aims to clarify the mechanism and function of trafficking regulatory signaling in self tolerance, and further investigate the involvement in intractable autoimmune disease in human.
Disregulated of immune-cell trafficking signaling and development of autoimmunity

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Kouko katagiriProfessor, Kitasato University
Kazuichi OkazakiProfessor, Kansai Medical University

Development of a novel way to treat autoimmune disease by regulating humoral immune systems

Researcher's name Tomohiro Kurosaki
Research Site Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center Specially Appointed Professor
URL http://lymph.ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp/index_e.html
Content It has been thought that self-antibodies produced by plasma cells are one of the critical determinants for initiation and amplification of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Focusing on self-reactive plasma cells and their precursor memory B cells, this study aims at identifying activation, inhibition, and survival factors of these cells, thereby developing a novel way to treat autoimmune diseases.

Main Research Collaborators list

Yoshimasa TakahashiChief Researcher, National Institute of Infectious Diseases
Kouichi FurukawaProfessor, Nagoya University

Analysis of the regulatory mechanisms that underlie nucleic acid-mediated immune responses and its development into therapeutic strategies against immune disorders

Researcher's name Tadatsugu Taniguchi
Research Site University of Tokyo Professor
Content During microbial infection or tissue damage, DNA and RNA potently activate the innate and adaptive immune responses. As a consequence, the nucleic acid-mediated activation of the immune system can result in the development and/or exacerbation of immunological disorders such as autoimmunity. We previously identified DAI as a cytosolic DNA receptor, while more recently demonstrated that a single mechanism integrates all nucleic acid-sensing systems with the discovery that high-mobility group box (HMGB) proteins function as universal sentinels for the detection of nucleic acids. In this project, we seek to further elucidate the mechanism-of-action of these sensors by gene targeting and other approaches. These findings will lay the foundation to establish assay systems with which to identify novel compounds for the suppression of nucleic acid-mediated activation of immune responses with the aim of developing novel drugs for autoimmunity, allergy and allograft rejection.