Laboratory for Immune Regulation

The immune system is composed of the innate and acquired systems. In order to achieve effective immune responses, NKT cell-mediated adjuvant activity is essential to help proliferation, expansion of immune cells and activation of their functions, mediating protection against pathogen infection and cancer, as well as maintenance of transplantation tolerance and also suppression of autoimmune disease development. We focus on the mechanisms of NKT cell function and development during thymocyte development. We also collaborate with Chiba University Hospital and National Hospital Organization on the clinical trial for NKT cell-targeted therapy on lung cancer and head & Neck tumor patients.

Research Fields

Molecular Biology & Genetics / Immunology / Clinical Medicine

Research Subjects

• Identification of genetic and epigenetic regulation governing stage specific NKT cell precursor transition to mature NKT cell development
• To clarify the molecular and cellular mechanisms of regulation of immune responses focus on the NKT cells

Publications

1. Seino K, Harada M, Taniguchi M.:
   "NKT cells are relatively resistant to apoptosis."
   Trends Immunol., 25, 219-221(2004).
2. Watarai H, Nakagawa R, Omori-Miyake M, Nyambayar D, Taniguchi M.:
   "Methods for detection, isolation, and culture of mouse and human invariant NKT cells."
   Nat Protocols., 3, 70-78(2008).
3. Terashima A, Watarai H, Inoue S, Sekine E, Nakagawa R, Hase K, Iwamura C, Nakajima H, Nakayama T, Taniguchi M.:
   "A novel subset of mouse NKT cells bearing the IL-17 receptor B responds to IL-25 and contributes to airway hyperreactivity."
   The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 205, 2727-2733(2008).
4. Dashtsoodol N, Watarai H, Sakata S, Taniguchi M.:
   "Identification of CD4 CD8 Double-Negative Natural Killer T Cell Precursors in the Thymus."
   PLoS ONE, 3, e3688(2008).
5. Watarai H, Rybouchkin A, Hongo N, Nagata Y, Sakata S, Sekine E, Dashtsoodol N, Tashiro T, Fujii SI, Shimizu K, Mori K, Masuda K, Kawamoto H, Koseki H, Taniguchi M.:
   "Generation of functional NKT cells in vitro from embryonic stem cells bearing rearranged invariant Va14-Ja18 TCRa gene."
   Blood, 115, 230-237 (2010).
6. Fujii S, Motohashi S, Shimizu K, Nakayama T, Yoshiga Y, Taniguchi M.:
   "Adjuvant activity mediated by iNKT cells."
   Semin Immunol., 22, 97-102(2010).
7. Watarai H, Fujii SI, Yamada D, Rybouchkin A, Sakata S, Nagata Y, Iida-Kobayashi M, Sekine-Kondo E, Shimizu K, Shozaki Y, Sharif J, Matsuda M, Mochiduki S, Hasegawa T, Kitahara G, Endo TA, Toyoda T, Ohara O, Harigaya KI, Koseki H, Taniguchi M.:
   "Murine induced pluripotent stem cells can be derived from and differentiate into natural killer T cells."
   J Clin Invest., 120, 2610–2618(2010).
8. Motomura Y, Kitamura H, Hijikata A, Matsunaga Y, Matsumoto K, Inoue H, Atarashi K, Hori S, Watarai H, Zhu J, Taniguchi M, Kubo M.:
   "The transcription factor E4BP4 regulates the production of IL-10 and IL-13 in CD4+ T cells."
   Nat Immunol., 12, 450-9(2011).
9. Watarai H, Sekine-Kondo E, Shigeura T, Motomura Y, Yasuda T, Satoh R, Yoshida H, Kubo M, Kawamoto H, Koseki H, Taniguchi M.:
   "Development and Function of Invariant Natural Killer T cells Producing TH2- and TH17-cytokines."
   PLoS Biology,10, e1001255(2012).