RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Laboratory for Intestinal Ecosystem
Team Leader: Hiroshi Ohno (M.D., Ph.D)
Research Summary

This group is interested in the intestinal immune system, especially the molecular mechanisms of the function and differentiation of M cells, a subset of intestinal epithelium specialized for uptake of particulate antigens such as bacteria and viruses. We are also studying the role of host-gut microbiota interaction on the host physiology and pathology.
Main Research Fields
- Immunology
Related Research Fields
- Biology & Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology & Genetics
- Microbiology
Keywords
- Intestinal epithelial cells
- M cell
- Host-gut microbiota interaction
- Intestinal immune system
Selected Publications
- 1.
Takeuchi T, Miyauchi E, Kanaya T, Kato T, Nakanishi Y, Watanabe T, Kitami T, Taida T, Sasaki T, Negishi H, Shimamoto S, Matsuyama A, Kimura I, Williams IR,Ohara O, Ohno H.:
"Acetate differentially regulates IgA reactivity to commensal bacteria."
Nature 595(7868):560-564, 2021. - 2.
Miyauchi E, Kim S-W, Suda W, Kawasumi M, Onawa S, Taguchi-Atarashi N, Morita M, Taylor TD, Hattori M, Ohno H.:
"Gut microbes act in concert to exacerbate inflammation in spinal cords."
Nature 585(7823): 102-106, 2020. - 3.
Satoh-Takayama N, Kato T, Motomura Y, Kageyama T, Taguchi-Atarashi N, Kinoshita-Daitoku R, Kuroda E, Di Santo JP, Mimuro H, Moro K, Ohno H.:
"Bacteria-Induced Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in the Stomach Provide Immune Protection through Induction of IgA."
Immunity 52(4):635-649.e4, 2020. - 4.
Tamaura M, Satoh-Takayama N, Tsumura M, Sasaki T, Goda S, Kageyama T, Hayakawa S, Kimura S, Asano T, Nakayama M, Koseki H, Ohara O, 7, Okada S, Ohno H, Kobayashi M.:
"Human Gain-of-Function STAT1 Mutation disturbs IL-17 Immunity in Mice."
Int Immunol 32(4):259-272, 2020. - 5.
Hara S, Sasaki T, Satoh-Takayama N, Kanaya T, Kato T, Takikawa Y, Takahashi M, Tachibana N, Kim KS, Surh CD, Ohno H.:
"Dietary Antigens Induce Germinal Center Responses in Peyer's Patches and Antigen-Specific IgA Production."
Front Immunol. 10:2432, 2019. - 6.
Kanaya, T., Sakakibara, S., Jinnohara, T., Hachisuka, M., Tachibana, N., Hidano, S., Kobayashi, T., Kimura, S., Iwanaga, T., Nakagawa, T., Katsuno, T., Kato, N., Akiyama, T., Sato, T., Williams, I. R., Ohno, H.:
"Development of intestinal M cells and follicle-associated epithelium is regulated by TRAF6-mediated NF-kB signaling."
J. Exp. Med. 215:501-519, 2018. - 7.
Date Y, Ebisawa M, Fukuda S, Shima H, Obata Y, Takahashi D, Kato T, Hanazato M, Nakato G, Williams IR, Hase K, Ohno H.:
"NALT M cells are important for immune induction for the common mucosal immune system."
Int. Immunol. 29(10): 471-478, 2017. - 8.
Yanagihara S, Kanaya T, Fukuda S, Nakato G, Hanazato M, Wu XR, Yamamoto N, Ohno H.:
"Uromodulin-SlpA binding dictates Lactobacillus acidophilus uptake by intestinal epithelial M cells."
Int. Immunol. 29: 357-363, 2017. - 9.
Shimokawa, C., Kanaya, T., Hachisuka, M., Ishiwata, K., Hisaeda, H., Kurashima, Y., Kiyono, H., Yoshimoto, T., Kaisho, T., Ohno, H.:
"Mast cells are crucial for induction of group 2 innate lymphoid cells and clearance of helminth infections."
Immunity 46: 863-874, 2017. - 10.
Jinnohara, T., Kanaya, T., Hase, K., Sakakibara, S., Kato, T., Tachibana, N., Sasaki, T., Hashimoto, Y., Sato, T., Watarai, H., Kunisawa, J., Shibata, N., Williams, I. R., Kiyono, H., Ohno, H.:
"IL-22BP dictates characteristics of Peyer’s patch follicle-associated epithelium for antigen uptake."
J. Exp. Med. 163(2): 367-380, 2017.
Recent Research Results
Apr. 18, 2023
A gut microbe that can exacerbate obesityJul. 20, 2021
A simple compound to control complex gut microbesJun. 26, 2020
Friendly bacteria fight stomach ulcersAug. 10, 2017
The mast-er of worm defenseJan. 10, 2014
Friends in low places preserve gut health
Related Links
Lab Members
Principal investigator
- Hiroshi Ohno
- Team Leader
Core members
- Naoko Satoh
- Senior Research Scientist
- Takashi Kanaya
- Senior Research Scientist
- Eiji Miyauchi
- Research Scientist
- Tamotsu Kato
- Research Scientist
- Yumiko Nakanishi
- Research Scientist
- Shino Nemoto
- Research Scientist
- Takaharu Sasaki
- Special Postdoctoral Researcher
- Takashi Ito
- Visiting Researcher
- Peijun Sun
- Visiting Researcher
- Zhengzheng Shi
- Junior Research Associate
- Yuichiro Tanaka
- Junior Research Associate
- Ritsu Nagata
- Junior Research Associate
- Naoko Atarashi
- Technical Staff I
- Masami Aoki
- Technical Staff II
- Ayumi Ito
- Technical Staff II
- Tomoko Kageyama
- Technical Staff II
- Sayuri Sakakibara
- Technical Staff II
- Sayo Suzuki
- Technical Staff II
- Masumi Takahashi
- Technical Staff II
- Naoko Tachibana
- Technical Staff II
- Kazuyo Uchida
- Technical Staff II
Contact Information
N309Aa North Research Building,
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku,
Yokohama City, Kanagawa,
230-0045, Japan
Tel: +81-(0)45-503-7031
Email: hiroshi.ohno [at] riken.jp