Lab Publication
Our paper “Estrogen receptor alpha signaling in dendritic cells modulates autoimmune disease phenotype in mice” was published in the EMBO report. Read more at DOI: https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202154228
Lab Publication
“Editorial: Environmental Factors Influencing the Immune Functions During Multiple Sclerosis” was published in the Frontiers in Immunology. Read more at DOI: doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1141014
Makoto won Zoetis Award!
Makoto received Zoetis Award for Research Excellence for the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Congratulations Makoto!
Experimental Medicine
As editor, Dr. Inoue organized the topic “Neuroimmunology” in Jikken Igaku zasshi (Experimental Medicine), a famous research journal in Japan. This is the first time this journal has focused on Neuroimmunology. Rachel Khaw, a graduate student in Inoue Lab, contributed to the writing of the review paper in this journal. (Feb, 2018)
In vivo signal transduction on pain and analgesia
We developed a novel behavioral test to evaluate in vivo function of nociceptors, which detect endogenous nociceptive/pain molecules in the primary afferent sensory fibers. The test using mice is sensitive enough to evaluate extremely low doses of pain inducers (PNAS 1998; J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 1999, 2001, 2003; Br. J. Pharmacol. 2000). Another advantage [...]
Molecular mechanisms on opioid addiction/tolerance and anti-opioid system
Tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction caused by chronic treatment with narcotics are important models in the study of basic neuronal plasticity. In our work, we have identified several critical molecules and pathways that are relevant to the development of peripheral and central tolerance and addiction (J.Neurosci. 2000; J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2000; Neurosci Lett. [...]
Identification of initiator for neuropathic pain
Treating neuropathic pain is indeed challenging. Frequent, intractable chronic pain affects ~ 1% of the U.S. population, and thus needs further study. The etiology of neuropathic pain is diverse, ranging from trauma to infections to cancer. One circumstance that makes current treatment of neuropathic pain less-than-effective is that the underlying phenomena have yet to [...]
T cells control hyperinflammation in innate immunity during acute infection model.
Innate immunity has a protective role against pathogen infection in very early stages of infection. However, prolonged activation of innate immunity leads to hyperinflammation, which induces collateral damage of host tissues. We have demonstrated that antigen-unprimed T cells control hyperinflamamtion in innate immunity. This is new, because T cells are not supposed to be [...]
Molecular mechanisms involving development of MS heterogeneity using EAE
We study molecular mechanisms that induce heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology in an effort to provide new molecular targets for the identification of biomarkers able to predict treatment outcome of therapy with interferon β (IFNβ), a well-known, first-line treatment of MS. As such, this may allow development of new personalized treatments for MS [...]