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

This laboratory is interested in the intestinal immune system, especially the molecular mechanisms of the function and differentiation of M cells, a subset of intestinal epithelial cells specialized for uptake of particulate antigens such as bacteria and viruses from the intestinal lumen to the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. We are also studying the role of host-gut microbiota interaction on the host physiology and pathology.
Related Research Fields
- Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
- Immunology
- Bacteriology
- Pathophysiology
Keywords
- Intestinal immunology
- Mechanisms of intestinal luminal antigens
- Host-gut microbiota interaction
Selected Publications
- 1.
Takeuchi T, Kubota T, Nakanishi Y, Tsugawa H, Suda W, Kwon AT, Yazaki J, Ikeda K, Nemoto S, Mochizuki Y, Kitami T, Yugi K, Mizuno Y, Yamamichi N, Yamazaki T, Takamoto I, Kubota N, Kadowaki T, Arner E, Carninci P, Ohara O, Arita M, Hattori M, Koyasu S, Ohno H.:
"Gut microbial carbohydrate metabolism contributes to insulin resistance"
Nature 621, 389-395, 2023
doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06466-x. - 2.
Takeuchi T, Kameyama K, Miyauchi E, Nakanishi Y, Kanaya T, Fujii T, Kato T, Sasaki T, Tachibana N, Negishi H, Matsui M, Ohno H.:
"Fatty acid overproduction by gut commensal microbiota exacerbates obesity"
Cell Metab 35, 361-375.e9, 2023.
doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.12.013. - 3.
Nagata N, Takeuchi T, Masuoka H, Aoki R, Ishikane M, Iwamoto N, Sugiyama M, Suda W, Nakanishi Y, Terada-Hirashima J, Kimura M, Nishijima T, Inooka H, Miyoshi-Akiyama T, Kojima Y, Shimokawa C, Hisaeda H, Zhang F, Yeoh YK, Ng SC, Uemura N, Itoi T, Mizokami M, Kawai T, Sugiyama H, Ohmagari N, Ohno H.:
"Human gut microbiota and its metabolites impact immune responses in COVID-19 and its complications"
Gastroenterology 164, 272-288, 2023.
doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.09.024. - 4.
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, 560-564, 2021.
doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03727-5 - 5.
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, 102-106, 2020.
doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2634-9. - 6.
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, 635-649.e4, 2020.
doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.03.002. - 7.
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-B signaling."
J. Exp. Med. 215, 501-519, 2018.
doi: 10.1084/jem.20160659 - 8.
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 IR, Kiyono H, Ohno H.:
"IL-22BP dictates characteristics of Peyer's patch follicle-associated epithelium for antigen uptake. "
J Exp Med. 214, 1607-1618, 2017.
doi: 10.1084/jem.20160770. - 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.
doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.04.017. - 10.
Furusawa, Y., Obata, Y., Fukuda, S., Endo, T. A., Nakato, G., Takahashi, D., Nakanishi, Y., Uetake, C., Kato, K., Kato, T., Takahashi, M., Fukuda, N. N., Murakami, S., Miyauchi, E., Hino, S., Atarashi, K., Onawa, S., Fujimura, Y., Lockett, T., Clarke, J. M., Topping, D. L., Tomita, M., Hori, S., Ohara, O., Morita, T., Koseki, H., Kikuchi, J., Honda, K., Hase, K., Ohno, H.:
"Commensal microbe-derived butyrate induces colonic regulatory T cells."
Nature 504, 446-450, 2013.
doi: 10.1038/nature12721.
Recent Research Results
Mar. 15, 2024
Gut bacteria important for overcoming milk allergyApr. 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
Events
Publications
Related Links
Lab Members
Principal investigator
- Hiroshi Ohno
- Team Director
Core members
- Toshi Jinnohara
- Research Scientist
- Shino Nemoto
- Research Scientist
- Shohei Asami
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Ritsu Nagata
- Research Associate
- Tamotsu Kato
- Expert Technician
- Naoko Atarashi
- Technical Staff I
- Masumi Takahashi
- Technical Staff I
- Masami Aoki
- Technical Staff II
- Ayumi Ito
- Technical Staff II
- Kazuyo Uchida
- Technical Staff II
- Sayuri Sakakibara
- Technical Staff II
- Sayo Suzuki
- Technical Staff II
- Naoko Tachibana
- Technical Staff II
- Takashi Ito
- Visiting Scientist
- Takaharu Sasaki
- Visiting Scientist
- Yuichiro Tanaka
- Visiting Scientist
- Eiji Miyauchi
- Visiting Scientist
Contact Information
3F, North BLDG, Yokohama Campus,
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku,
Yokohama City, Kanagawa,
230-0045, Japan
Tel: +81-(0)45-503-7031
Email: hiroshi.ohno@riken.jp