Research interests
The innate immune system is the first line of the defensive mechanisms that protect hosts from invading microbial pathogens. There are several families of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLR). These PRRs sense pathogen components in different compartments of cells, promote transcription of proinflammatory cytokines and type I interferons genes and initiate adaptive immune responses. Work in my group is currently focused on identifying and characterizing PRRs and their downstream signaling molecules and understanding mechanisms of how the innate immune recognition controls adaptive immune responses.
Selected publications
Kumar H, Koyama S, Ishii KJ, Kawai T, Akira S.
Cooperation of IPS-1- and TRIF-dependent pathways in poly IC-enhanced antibody production and cytotoxic T cell responses.
J Immunol. 2008 Jan 15;180(2):683-7.
Kumar H*, Kawai T*, Kato H, Sato S, Takahashi K, Coban C, Yamamoto M, Uematsu S, Ishii KJ, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
Essential role of IPS-1 in innate immune responses against RNA viruses.
J Exp Med. 2006 Jul 10;203(7):1795-1803.
* contributed equally
Takahashi K, Kawai T, Kumar H, Sato S, Yonehara S, Akira S
Roles of Caspase-8 and Caspase-10 in antiviral innate immune responses.
J Immunol. 2006 Apr 15;176(8):4520-4524.
Kawai T, Takahashi K, Sato S, Coban C, Kumar H, Kato H, Ishii KJ, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
IPS-1; an adaptor triggering RIG-I- and Mda5-mediated type I interferon induction
Nat Immunol. 2005, Oct;6(10):981-988.
Kawai T, Sato S, Ishii KJ, Coban C, Hemmi H, Yamamoto M, Terai K, Matsuda M, Inoue JI, Uematsu S, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
Interferon-a induction through Toll-like receptors involves a direct interaction of IRF7 with MyD88 and TRAF6.
Nat Immunol. 2004 Oct;5(10):1061-1068.
Kawai T, Akira S, Reed JC.
ZIP kinase triggers apoptosis from nuclear PML oncogenic domains.
Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Sep;23(17):6174-6186.
Kawai T, Takeuchi O, Fujita T, Inoue J, Muhlradt PF, Sato S, Hoshino K, Akira S.
Lipopolysaccharide stimulates the MyD88-independent pathway and results in activation of IFN-regulatory factor 3 and the expression of a subset of lipopolysaccharide-inducible genes.
J Immunol. 2001 Nov 15;167(10):5887-5894.
Nomura F*, Kawai T*, Nakanishi K, Akira S.
NF-kappaB activation through IKK-i-dependent I-TRAF/TANK phosphorylation.
Genes Cells. 2000 Mar;5(3):191-202.
* contributed equally
Kawai T, Adachi O, Ogawa T, Takeda K, Akira S.
Unresponsiveness of MyD88-deficient mice to endotoxin.
Immunity. 1999 Jul;11(1):115-122.
Kawai T, Nomura F, Hoshino K, Copeland NG, Gilbert DJ, Jenkins NA, Akira S.
Death-associated protein kinase 2 is a new calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that signals apoptosis through its catalytic activity.
Oncogene. 1999 Jun 10;18(23):3471-3480.
Kawai T, Matsumoto M, Takeda K, Sanjo H, Akira S.
ZIP kinase, a novel serine/threonine kinase which mediates apoptosis.
Mol Cell Biol. 1998 Mar;18(3):1642-1651.
Review articles
Kawai T, Akira S.
The roles of TLRs, RLRs and NLRs in pathogen recognition.
Int Immunol. 2009 Apr;21(4):317-37.
Kawai T, Akira S
Toll-like Receptor and RIG-1-like Receptor signaling.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Nov;1143:1-20.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Signaling to NF-kappaB by Toll-like receptors.
Trends Mol Med. 2007 Nov;13(11):460-9.
Kawai T, Akira S.
SnapShot: Pattern-Recognition Receptors.
Cell. 2007 Jun 1;129(5):1024.
Kawai T, Akira S.
TLR signaling.
Semin Immunol. 2007 Feb;19(1):24-32.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Antiviral signaling through pattern recognition receptors.
J Biochem (Tokyo). 2007 Feb;141(2):137-45.
Kawai T, Akira S
TLR-signaling.
Cell Death Differ. 2006 May;13(5):816-825.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Innate immune recognition of viral infection.
Nat Immunol. 2006 Feb;7(2):131-137.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Pathogen recognition with Toll-like receptors.
Curr Opin Immunol. 2005, 17(4):338-344.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Toll-like receptor downstream signaling.
Arthritis Res. 2005, 7:12-19
Awards
2nd Japanese Society for Immunology Young Investigator Award (Nov 2007)
Poster Award, 13th International Symposium on Molecular Cell Biology of Macrophages 2004 (July 2004, Osaka, Japan)
Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (2001-2003)
Others
New Hot Paper Comments, Thomson Essential Science Indicators special TOPICS (March 2007)
New Hot Paper Comments, Thomson Essential Science Indicators special TOPICS (January 2006)
The innate immune system is the first line of the defensive mechanisms that protect hosts from invading microbial pathogens. There are several families of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLR). These PRRs sense pathogen components in different compartments of cells, promote transcription of proinflammatory cytokines and type I interferons genes and initiate adaptive immune responses. Work in my group is currently focused on identifying and characterizing PRRs and their downstream signaling molecules and understanding mechanisms of how the innate immune recognition controls adaptive immune responses.
Selected publications
Kumar H, Kumagai Y, Tsuchida T, Koenig PA, Satoh T, Guo Z, Jang MH, Saitoh T, Akira S, Kawai T.
Involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome in innate and humoral adaptive immune responses to fungal beta-glucan
J Immunol 2009 Dec 15;183(12):8061-8067.
Involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome in innate and humoral adaptive immune responses to fungal beta-glucan
J Immunol 2009 Dec 15;183(12):8061-8067.
Kumar H, Koyama S, Ishii KJ, Kawai T, Akira S.
Cooperation of IPS-1- and TRIF-dependent pathways in poly IC-enhanced antibody production and cytotoxic T cell responses.
J Immunol. 2008 Jan 15;180(2):683-7.
Kumar H*, Kawai T*, Kato H, Sato S, Takahashi K, Coban C, Yamamoto M, Uematsu S, Ishii KJ, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
Essential role of IPS-1 in innate immune responses against RNA viruses.
J Exp Med. 2006 Jul 10;203(7):1795-1803.
* contributed equally
Takahashi K, Kawai T, Kumar H, Sato S, Yonehara S, Akira S
Roles of Caspase-8 and Caspase-10 in antiviral innate immune responses.
J Immunol. 2006 Apr 15;176(8):4520-4524.
Kawai T, Takahashi K, Sato S, Coban C, Kumar H, Kato H, Ishii KJ, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
IPS-1; an adaptor triggering RIG-I- and Mda5-mediated type I interferon induction
Nat Immunol. 2005, Oct;6(10):981-988.
Kawai T, Sato S, Ishii KJ, Coban C, Hemmi H, Yamamoto M, Terai K, Matsuda M, Inoue JI, Uematsu S, Takeuchi O, Akira S.
Interferon-a induction through Toll-like receptors involves a direct interaction of IRF7 with MyD88 and TRAF6.
Nat Immunol. 2004 Oct;5(10):1061-1068.
Kawai T, Akira S, Reed JC.
ZIP kinase triggers apoptosis from nuclear PML oncogenic domains.
Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Sep;23(17):6174-6186.
Kawai T, Takeuchi O, Fujita T, Inoue J, Muhlradt PF, Sato S, Hoshino K, Akira S.
Lipopolysaccharide stimulates the MyD88-independent pathway and results in activation of IFN-regulatory factor 3 and the expression of a subset of lipopolysaccharide-inducible genes.
J Immunol. 2001 Nov 15;167(10):5887-5894.
Nomura F*, Kawai T*, Nakanishi K, Akira S.
NF-kappaB activation through IKK-i-dependent I-TRAF/TANK phosphorylation.
Genes Cells. 2000 Mar;5(3):191-202.
* contributed equally
Kawai T, Adachi O, Ogawa T, Takeda K, Akira S.
Unresponsiveness of MyD88-deficient mice to endotoxin.
Immunity. 1999 Jul;11(1):115-122.
Kawai T, Nomura F, Hoshino K, Copeland NG, Gilbert DJ, Jenkins NA, Akira S.
Death-associated protein kinase 2 is a new calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that signals apoptosis through its catalytic activity.
Oncogene. 1999 Jun 10;18(23):3471-3480.
Kawai T, Matsumoto M, Takeda K, Sanjo H, Akira S.
ZIP kinase, a novel serine/threonine kinase which mediates apoptosis.
Mol Cell Biol. 1998 Mar;18(3):1642-1651.
Review articles
Kawai T, Akira S.
The roles of TLRs, RLRs and NLRs in pathogen recognition.
Int Immunol. 2009 Apr;21(4):317-37.
Kawai T, Akira S
Toll-like Receptor and RIG-1-like Receptor signaling.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Nov;1143:1-20.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Signaling to NF-kappaB by Toll-like receptors.
Trends Mol Med. 2007 Nov;13(11):460-9.
Kawai T, Akira S.
SnapShot: Pattern-Recognition Receptors.
Cell. 2007 Jun 1;129(5):1024.
Kawai T, Akira S.
TLR signaling.
Semin Immunol. 2007 Feb;19(1):24-32.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Antiviral signaling through pattern recognition receptors.
J Biochem (Tokyo). 2007 Feb;141(2):137-45.
Kawai T, Akira S
TLR-signaling.
Cell Death Differ. 2006 May;13(5):816-825.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Innate immune recognition of viral infection.
Nat Immunol. 2006 Feb;7(2):131-137.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Pathogen recognition with Toll-like receptors.
Curr Opin Immunol. 2005, 17(4):338-344.
Kawai T, Akira S.
Toll-like receptor downstream signaling.
Arthritis Res. 2005, 7:12-19
Awards
2nd Japanese Society for Immunology Young Investigator Award (Nov 2007)
Poster Award, 13th International Symposium on Molecular Cell Biology of Macrophages 2004 (July 2004, Osaka, Japan)
Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (2001-2003)
Others
New Hot Paper Comments, Thomson Essential Science Indicators special TOPICS (March 2007)
New Hot Paper Comments, Thomson Essential Science Indicators special TOPICS (January 2006)
