Laboratory for Cutaneous Immunology

Skin is an organ which covers the outer surface of living bodies. Skin diseases have been categorized based on the morphology of skin lesions, which are now being explained with molecular mechanisms. Many of these skin diseases are caused by immunological abnormalities. Skin is the place where sensitization to external antigens as well as peripheral tolerance to autoantigen take place. Our research group are trying to reveal the entire picture of the skin as an immune organ, clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms of allergic and autoimmune diseases, and develop novel therapeutic strategies based on their molecular mechanisms.

Research Fields

Molecular Biology & Genetics / Immunology / Clinical Medicine

Research Subjects

• Clarification of molecular mechanisms for skin corneal barrier generation
• Clarification of molecular mechanisms for keratinocytes terminal differentiation
• Clarification of peripheral tolerance mechanisms in the skin

Publications

1. Nagao K, Kobayashi T, Moro K, Ohyama M, Adachi T, Kitashima DY, Ueha S, Horiuchi K, Tanizaki H, Kabashima K, Kubo A, Cho YH, Clausen BE, Matsushima K, Suematsu M, Furtado GC, Lira SA, Farber JM, Udey MC, Amagai M.:
   "Stress-induced production of chemokines by hair follicles regulates the trafficking of dendritic cells in skin."
   Nat Immunol 13 (8): 744-752, 2012.
2. Kawasaki H, Nagao K, Kubo A, Hata T, Shimizu A, Mizuno H, Yamada T, Amagai M.:
   "Altered stratum corneum barrier and enhanced percutaneous immune responses in filaggrin-null mice."
   J Allergy Clin Immunol, 129 (6): 1538-1546, 2012
3. Kubo A, Nagao K, Amagai M.:
   "Epidermal barrier dysfunction and cutaneous sensitization in atopic diseases."
   J Clin Invest 122 (2), 440-447, 2012.
4. Takahashi H, Kouno M, Nagao K, Wada N, Hata T, Nishimoto S, Iwakura Y, Yoshimura A, Yamada T, Kuwana M, Fujii H, Koyasu S, Amagai M.:
   "Desmoglein 3-specific CD4+ T cells induce pemphigus vulgaris and interface dermatitis in mice."
   J Clin Invest 121:3677-3688, 2011
5. Kubo A, Nagao K, Yokouchi M, Sasaki H, Amagai M.:
   "External antigen uptake by Langerhans cells with reorganization of epidermal tight junction barriers."
   J Exp Med 206 (13):2937-2946, 2009
6. Stanley J R and Amagai M.:
   "Pemphigus, bullous impetigo, and the staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome."
   N Eng J Med 355: 1800-1810, 2006
7. Amagai M, Matsuyoshi N, Wang ZH, Andl C, Stanley JR.:
   "Toxin in bullous impetigo and staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome targets desmoglein 1."
   Nature Medicine 6: 1275-1277, 2000
8. Amagai M, Tsunoda K, Suzuki H, Nishifuji K, Koyasu S, Nishikawa T.:
   "Use of autoantigen knockout mice to develop an active autoimmune disease model of pemphigus."
   J Clin Invest 105: 625-631, 2000