|
|
 |
 |
|
Faculty
Dwight Kono
Professor of Immunology
Immunology and Microbial Science
TSRI - 1988
Education
M.D. University of Washington 1977
Medicine Residency, Chief Residency, University of Hawaii 1977-81
Rheumatology Fellowship, UCLA 1981-1984
Awards & Activities
Silver Hammer award, 1978
Third-year-resident of the Year, 1980
Editorial Board: Clinical Immunology
Member, Faculty of 1000 Medicine
Research Focus
Our laboratory seeks to define the etiopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to identify potential therapeutic targets using lupus susceptible mice strains as model systems. Areas of interest related to lupus include systemic autoimmunity, tolerance, normal immune function, and genetics. A major focus is the identification of susceptibility genes in spontaneous lupus-prone mouse strains and in an induced model. Defining the genetic basis for lupus is critical for understanding lupus pathogenesis, as genetic susceptibility appears to be a prerequisite for disease development. Classical genetics approaches are being used to identify loci, narrow intervals with congenic mice, and identify genes. A second area of research seeks to identify the essential effector genes in SLE using both forward and reverse genetics approaches. These, in contrast to susceptibility genes, are normal genes that have non-redundant functions in disease pathogenesis. As such, their identification should yield important insights into disease processes and is also likely to have therapeutic implications. A third general area of interest is the study of specific pathways in lupus pathogenesis. Recent studies have investigated interferons, toll-like receptors, cell cycle control, and actin cytoskeleton regulation as they relate to systemic autoimmunity.
Selected References
Pollard, K. M., P. Hultman, and D. H. Kono. Using single-gene deletions to identify checkpoints in the progression of systemic autoimmunity. Ann N Y Acad Sci 987:236-239, 2003.
Haraldsson, M. K., N. G. dela Paz, J. G. Kuan, G. S. Gilkeson, A. N. Theofilopoulos, and D. H. Kono. Autoimmune alterations induced by the New Zealand Black Lbw2 locus in BWF1 mice. J Immunol 174:5065-5073, 2005.
Santiago-Raber, M.-L., M. K. Haraldsson, A. N. Theofilopoulos, and D. H. Kono. Characterization of reciprocal Lmb1-4 interval MRL-Faslpr and B6-Faslpr congenic mice reveals significant effects from Lmb3. J Immunol 178:8195-8202, 2007.
Haraldsson, M. K., C. A. Louis-Dit-Sully, B. R. Lawson, G. Sternik, M. L. Santiago-Raber, N. R. Gascoigne, A. N. Theofilopoulos, and D. H. Kono. The lupus-related Lmb3 locus contains a disease-suppressing Coronin-1A gene mutation. Immunity 28:40-51, 2008.
|
|
|
|
