Michiko Shimoda, PhD

email: mshimoda@georgiahealth.edu

Research Emphasis:
Our laboratory studies the mechanisms of B cell differentiation during immune and autoimmune response. Particularly we are interested in how generation, maintenance and plasma cell differentiation of memory B cells is regulated through interactions with non-immune stromal cells such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells and epithelial cells. We are also interested in how B cells can regulate immune and autoimmune response through interaction with T cells. Active projects include: (1) the role of MHC-II-restricted antigen presentation in memory B cell homeostasis; (2) the role of stromal cells in maintenance and plasma cell differentiation of memory B cells; (3) the role of MHC-II-restricted antigen presentation in B cell regulatory function in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; and (4) the role of ectopic CD40L expression on B cells in autoantibody production.

Selected recent publications:

• Shimoda, M. and Koni, P.A. (2007).  MHC-resticted B cell antigen presentation in memory B cell maintenance and differentiation.  Critic. Rev. Immunol. 27:47.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Li, T., Pihkala, J.P.S and Koni, P.A. (2006).  Role of MHC-II on memoy B cells in post- germinal center B cell homeostasis and memory response.  J. Immunol. 196: 2122-2133.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Mmanywa, F., Joshi, S.K., Li, T., Miyake, K., Pihkala, J.P.S., Abbas, J.A. and Koni, P.A. (2006).  Conditional ablation of MHC-II suggests and indirect role for MHC-II in regulatory CD4 T cell maintenance.  J. Immunol. 196: 1597-1607.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Nakamura, T., Takahashi, Y., Asanuma, H., Tamura, S.-I., Kurata, T., Mizuochi,T., Azuma, N., Kanno, C. and Takemori, T. (2001).  Isotype-specific selection of high-affinity memory B cells in nasal-associated lymphoid tissue.  J. Exp. Med. 194: 1597-1607.
  
  
• Fujiwara, J., Fujii, M., Shimoda, M., and Ayusawa, D. (2000).  Identification of the UV-responsive sequence in the human tissue plasminogen activator gene.  Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 64: 1084-1087.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Inoue, Y., Azuma, N. and Kanno, C. (1999).  Local antibody response in Peyer's patches to orally administered dietary protein antigen.  Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 63: 2123-2129.
  
  
• Takahashi, Y., Cerasoli, D.M., Dal Porto, J. M., Shimoda, M., Freund, R., Fang, W., Telander, D. G., Malvey, E.-N., Muller, D. l., Behrens, T. W. and Kelsoe, G. (1999).  Relaxed negative selection in germinal centers and impaired affinity maturation in bcl-xL transgenic mice.  J. Exp. Med. 190: 399-410.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Inoue, Y., Azuma, N. and Kanno, C. (1999).  Natural polyreactive IgA antibodies produced in mouse Peyer's patches.  Immunology 97: 9-17.
  
  
• Shimoda, M., Inoue, Y., Ametani, A., Tsuji, N. M., Kurisaki, J., Azuma, N. and Kanno, C. (1998).  Anti-DNA autoantibodies are spontaneously generated in mouse Peyer's patches.  Immunology 95: 200-207
  
  
• Han, S., Dillon, S. R., Zheng, B., Shimoda, M., Schlissel, M. and Kelsoe, G. (1997).  V(D)J recombinase activity in a subset of germinal center B lymphocytes.  Science 278: 301-305.