Research Interests:

Helper T Lymphocyte Biology

Jenkins and his colleagues investigate CD4+ helper T and B cell activation in vivo at a level that can only be achieved by directly tracking antigen-specific cells. Using gene-targeted recipients or antibody blocking approaches, they identify molecules that are critical for in vivo T and B cell signal transduction, proliferation, lymphokine production, survival, and differentiation. The goal is to achieve a basic understanding of these process so that they can be manipulated to improve vaccines and prevent autoimmunity.

Selected Recent Publications:

• Moon, J. J., P. Dash, T. H. Oguin 3rd, J. L. McClaren, H. H. Chu, P. G. Thomas, and M. K. Jenkins. 2011. Quantitative impact of thymic selection on Foxp3+ and Foxp3- subsets of self-peptide/MHC class II-specific CD4+ T cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 108:14602.
• Pepper, M., A. J. Pagán, B. Z. Igyártó, J. J. Taylor, and M. K. Jenkins. 2011. Opposing signals from the Bcl6 transcription factor and the interleukin-2 receptor generate T helper 1 central and effector memory cells. Immunity 35:583.
• Pepper, M., J. L. Linehan, A. J. Pagán, T. Zell, T. Dileepan, P. P. Cleary, and M. K. Jenkins. 2010. Different routes of bacterial infection induce long-lived TH1 memory cells and short-lived TH17 cells. Nat. Immunol. 11:83-9.
• McLachlan, J. B., D. M. Catron, J. J. Moon, and M. K. Jenkins. 2009. Dendritic cell antigen presentation drives simultaneous cytokine production by effector and regulatory T cells in inflamed skin. Immunity 30:277.
  
• Chu, H. H., J. J. Moon, K. Takada, M. Pepper, J. A. Molitor, T. W. Schacker, K. A. Hogquist, S. C. Jameson, and M. K. Jenkins. 2009. Positive selection optimizes the number and function of MHCII-restricted CD4+ T cell clones in the naive polyclonal repertoire. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106:11241.
  
• Burchill, M. A., J. Yang, K. B. Vang, J. J. Moon, H. H. Chu, C. W. Lio, A. L. Vegoe, C. S. Hsieh, M. K. Jenkins, and M. A. Farrar. 2008. Linked T cell receptor and cytokine signaling govern the development of the regulatory T cell repertoire. Immunity 28:112.
  
• Pape, K. A., D. M. Catron, A. A. Itano, and M. K. Jenkins. 2007. The humoral immune response is initiated in lymph nodes by B cells that acquire soluble antigen directly in the follicles. Immunity 26:491.
  
• Moon, J. J., H. H. Chu, M. Pepper, S. J. McSorley, S. C. Jameson, R. M. Kedl and M. K. Jenkins. 2007. Naive CD4(+) T cell frequency varies for different epitopes and predicts repertoire diversity and response magnitude. Immunity 27:203.
  
• Hataye, J., J. J. Moon, A. Khoruts, C. Reilly, and M.K. Jenkins. 2006. Naive and memory CD4+ T cell survival controlled by clonal abundance. Science 312:114.
  
• Catron, D. M., L. K. Rusch, J. Hataye, A. A. Itano, and M. K. Jenkins. 2006. CD4+ T cells that enter the draining lymph nodes after antigen injection participate in the primary response and become central memory cells. J. Exp. Med. 203:1045.
  
• Catron, D. M., A. A. Itano, K. A. Pape, D. L. Mueller, and M. K. Jenkins. 2004. Visualizing the first 50 hours of the primary immune response to a soluble antigen. Immunity 21:341.
  
• Reinhardt, R.L., D.C. Bullard, C.T. Weaver, and M.K. Jenkins. 2003. Preferential accumulation of antigen-specific effector CD4 T cells at an antigen injection site involves CD62E-dependent migration but not local proliferation. J. Exp. Med. 197:751.
  
• Pape, K. A., V. Kouskoff, D. Nemazee, H. L. Tang, J. G. Cyster, L. E. Tze, K. L. Hippen, T. W. Behrens, and M. K. Jenkins. 2003. Visualization of the genesis and fate of isotype-switched B cells during a primary immune response. J. Exp. Med.197: 1677.
  
• Itano, A. A., S. J. McSorley, R. L. Reinhardt, B. D. Ehst, E. Ingulli, A. Y. Rudensky, and M. K. Jenkins. 2003. Distinct dendritic cell populations sequentially present antigen to CD4 T cells and stimulate different aspects of cell-mediated immunity. Immunity 19:47.
  
• McSorley, S.J., S. Asch, M. Costalonga, R.L. Reinhardt, and M.K. Jenkins. 2002. Tracking Salmonella-specific CD4 T cells in vivo reveals a local mucosal response to a disseminated infection. Immunity 16:365
  
• Reinhardt, R. L., A. Khoruts, R. Merica, T. Zell, and M. K. Jenkins. 2001. Visualizing the generation of memory CD4 T cells in the whole body. Nature 410:101.