Akira SUTO Associate Professor

Akira SUTO
Associate Professor

Researchmap

• Chiba University Institute for Advanced Academic Research / Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine

• Keywords

  IL-21, Th17 cells, Treg cells, γδT17 cells, c-Maf, Sox5, Sox12, IL-6, TGF-β, Soluble IL-21 receptor, Intracellular cytokine staining methods

• Professional Memberships

  The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, Japan College of Rheumatology, Japanese Society of Allergology, Japanese Society for Immunology

Research Theme

Elucidation of the Mechanisms of T cell Differentiation and Maintenance Involved in the Development of Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

1. Role of IL-21 in autoimmune disease onset
IL-21 is an autocrine growth factor produced by Th17 cells and T follicular helper cells, with an essential role in autoimmune diseases. We have demonstrated that IL-21 is involved in diabetes onset in NOD mice, autoimmune lung inflammation in Foxp3 mutant scurfy mice, and experimental autoimmune myositis. We also found that: (1) the transcription factor c-Maf induces the differentiation of IL-21-producing helper T cells; (2) IL-21 induces the proliferation of Vγ4+IL-17-producing γδT cells.

2. Role of Sox family molecules in helper T cell differentiation.
We have clarified that: (1) the transcription factors Sox5 and c-Maf are involved in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by inducing RORγt, a key transcription factor in Th17 cells; (2) Sox12 is involved in the differentiation of peripherally induced regulatory T cells and suppresses the development of inflammatory bowel disease models.

Akira SUTO's Article / PressRelease