Microbiology and Immunology Discipline

Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology, and Infection

Joseph Reynolds graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 2007 with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. As a graduate student Joseph studied the effect of fatty acid-binding proteins in the regulation of inflammation and disease. In 2008, Dr. Reynolds joined the Department of Immunology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to study the regulation and function of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and related IL-17 family cytokines. In July 2013, Dr. Reynolds joined the faculty of the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Research Interests

The overall goal of the laboratory is to further our understanding of mechanisms governing inflammatory responses and mucosal immunity.  Our research is currently focused on the role of the IL-17 family of cytokines in the regulation of inflammation and disease. Research projects ongoing in the lab include:

The regulation of Th17 cell-mediated inflammation in autoimmunity.  Our work has identified several factors that help shape damaging T cell responses in models of autoimmune inflammation. Our current goals include further understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Th17 cell-mediated inflammation and whether targeting such mechanisms can ameliorate inflammatory damage.

Mucosal roles of IL-17 family cytokines.  Our work is focused on how several members of the IL-17 cytokine family participate in intestinal and respiratory immunity. Current projects include investigating these cytokines in models of Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses, colitis, asthma, and influenza infection. 

T cell development.  Current projects are focused on the role of pH in thymocyte development and glycosylation of the T cell receptor in the context of immunodeficiency..

Publications

• Patterson KM, Vajdic TG, Martinez GM, Feller AF, Reynolds JM. IL-17 and IL-17C signaling protects the intestinal epithelium against diisopropyl flurophosphate exposure in an acute model of Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses. 2021. Immune Netw. Oct;21(5):e35. ()
• Barbosa CHD, Lantier L, Reynolds J, Wang J, Re F. Critical role of IL-25-ILC2-IL-5 axis in the production of anti-Francisella LPS IgM by B1 B cells. 2021. PLoS Path. Aug 27;17(8):e1009905. ()
• Marks KE, Cho K, Stickling C, Reynolds JM. Toll-like receptor 2 in autoimmune inflammation. Immune Netw. 2021 Jun;21(3):e18. doi: 10.4110/in.2021.21.e18. ()
• Marks KE, Flaherty S, Patterson KM, Stratton M, Martinez GJ, Reynolds JM. Toll-like receptor 2 induces pathogenicity in Th17 cells and reveals a role for IPCEF in regulating Th17 cell migration. Cell Rep. 2021 35(13): 109303. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109303. ()
• Peterson TV, Jaiswal MB, Beaman KD, Reynolds JM. Conditional deletion of the V-ATPase a2-subunit disrupts intrathymic T cell development. Front. Immunol. 2019  13 August 2019. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01911. ()
• Tanaka K, Martinez GJ, Yan X, Long W, Ichiyama K, Chi X, Kim BS, Reynolds JM, Chung Y, Tanaka S, Liao L, Nakanishi Y, Yoshimura A, Zheng P, Wang X, Tian Q, Xu J, O'Malley BW, Dong C.  Regulation of Pathogenic T Helper 17 Cell Differentiation by Steroid Receptor Coactivator-3.  Cell Rep. 2018 May 22;23(8):2318-2329. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.088.  ()
• Young KE, Flaherty S, Woodman KM, Sharma-Walia N, Reynolds JM.  Fatty acid synthase regulates the pathogenicity of Th17 cells.  J Leukoc Biol. 2017 Nov;102(5):1229-1235. doi: 10.1189/jlb.3AB0417-159RR. Epub 2017 Aug 28.  ()
• Flaherty S and Reynolds JM. TLR Function in Murine CD4(+) T Lymphocytes and Their Role in Inflammation. Methods Mol Biol. 2016;1390:215-27. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3335-8_14.  ()
• Zhang Y, Nguyen T, Tang P, Kennedy NJ, Jiao H, Zhang M, Reynolds JM,  Jaeschke A, Martin-Orozco N, Chung Y, He W, Wang C, Jia W, Ge B, Davis RJ, Flavell RA, and Dong C. “Regulation of adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance by MAP kinase phosphatase 5”. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2015, April 28 (online).  ()
• Reynolds JM, Lee YH, Shi Y, Angkasekwinai P, Nallaparaju KC, Flaherty S, Chang SH, Watarai H, Dong C. Interleukin-17B antagonizes interleukin-25-mediated mucosal inflammation. Immunity 2015, 42(4): 692-703.  ()
• Flaherty S, Reynolds JM. Naïve CD4+ T cell isolation from mouse and in vitro differentiation to T cell subsets. Journal of Visual Experimentation 2015, 98.  ()
• Del Barrio L, Sahoo M, Lantier L, Reynolds JM, Ceballos-Olvera, Re F. Production of anti-LPS IgM by B1a B cells depends on IL-1β and is protective against lung infection with Francisella tularensis LVS. PLoS Pathogens 2015, 11(3).  ()
• James SJ, Jiao H, The H, Takahashi H, Png CW, Phoon MC, Suzuki Y, Sawasaki T, Xiao H, Chow VTK, Yamamoto N, Reynolds JM, Flavell RA, Dong C. MAP kinase phosphatase 5 induced by influenza and other RNA virus infection negatively regulates IRF3 activation and type I interferon response.  Cell Reports 2015, 10: 1722-34.  ()
• Zhang Y, Nallaparaju KC, Liu X, Jiao H, Reynolds JM, Wang Z, Dong C. MAPK phosphatase 7 regulates T cell differentiation via inhibiting ERK-mediated IL-2 expression.  Journal of Immunology 2015, 194(7): 3088-95.  ()
• Smith AR, and Reynolds JM.  The contribution of myeloid-derived suppression to inflammatory disease.  2014.  Journal of Leukocyte Biology 2014, 96: 361-364.  ()
• Lim H, Kim YU, Sun H, Reynolds JM, Hanabuchi S, Teng B, and Chung Y.  Proatherogenic conditions promote autoimmune Th17 responses in vivo.  Immunity 2014, 40(1): 153-165.  ()
• Hung Y, Yamazaki T, Kim B, Zhang Y, Reynolds JM, Martinez GJ, Chang SH, Lim H, Birkenbach M, and Dong C.  2013.  Epstein Barr Virus-Induced 3 (EBI3) together with IL-12 negatively regulates T helper 17-mediated immunity to Listeria monocytogenes infection.  PLoS Pathogens 2013, 9(9): e1003628.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Dong C. Toll-like receptor regulation of effector T lymphocyte function. Trends in Immunology 2013, 34(10):511-9.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Martinez GJ, Nallaparaju KC, Chang SH, Wang YH, Dong C. Cutting edge: regulation of intestinal inflammation and barrier function by IL-17C. Journal of Immunology 2012, 189(9): 4226-4230.  ()
• Zhong B, Liu X, Wang X, Chang SH, Liu X, Wang A, Reynolds JM, Dong C. Negative regulation of IL-17-mediated signaling and inflammation by the ubiquitin-specific protease USP25. Nature Immunology 2012, 13(11): 1110-1117.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Martinez GJ, Chung Y, Dong C. Toll-like receptor 4 signaling in T cells promotes autoimmune inflammation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2012, 109(32): 13064-13069.  ()
• Chang SH*, Reynolds JM*, Pappu BP, Chen G, Martinez GJ, Dong C. Interleukin-17C promotes Th17 cell responses and autoimmune disease via interleukin-17 receptor E. Immunity 2011, 35(4): 611-621.  ()
  
  *Co-first author/equal contribution*
• Chung Y, Tanaka S, Chu F, Nurieva RI, Martinez GJ, Rawal S, Wang YH, Lim H, Reynolds JM, Zhou XH, Fan HM, Liu ZM, Neelapu SS, Dong C. Follicular regulatory T cells expressing Foxp3 and Bcl-6 suppress germinal center reactions. Nature Medicine 2011, 17(8): 983-988.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Angkasekwinai P, Dong C. IL-17 family member cytokines: regulation and function in innate immunity. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews 2010, 21(6): 413-423.  ()
• Martinez GJ, Zhang Z, Reynolds JM, Tanaka S, Chung Y, Liu T, Robertson E, Lin X, Feng XH, Dong C. Smad2 positively regulates the generation of Th17 cells. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2010, 285(38): 29039-29043.  ()
• Nurieva RI, Zheng S, Jin W, Chung Y, Zhang Y, Martinez GJ, Reynolds JM, Wang SL, Lin X, Sun SC, Lozano G, Dong C. The E3 ubiquitin ligase GRAIL regulates T cell tolerance and regulatory T cell function by mediating T cell receptor-CD3 degradation. Immunity 2010, 32(5): 670-680.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Pappu BP, Peng J, Martinez GJ, Zhang Y, Chung Y, Ma L, Yang XO, Nurieva RI, Tian Q, Dong C. Toll-like receptor 2 signaling in CD4(+) T lymphocytes promotes T helper 17 responses and regulates the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. Immunity 2010, 32(5): 692-702.  ()
• Martinez GJ, Zhang Z, Chung Y, Reynolds JM, Lin X, Jetten AM, Feng XH, Dong C. Smad3 differentially regulates the induction of regulatory and inflammatory T cell differentiation. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2009, 284(51): 35283-35286.  ()
• Zhang Y, Reynolds JM, Chang SH, Martin-Orozco N, Chung Y, Nurieva RI, Dong C. MKP-1 is necessary for T cell activation and function. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2009, 284(45): 30815-30824.  ()
• Hertzel AV, Hellberg K, Reynolds JM, Kruse AC, Juhlmann BE, Smith AJ, Sanders MA, Ohlendorf DH, Suttles J, Bernlohr DA. Identification and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of Fatty Acid binding proteins. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2009, 52(19): 6024-6031.  ()
• Li B, Reynolds JM, Stout RD, Bernlohr DA, Suttles J. Regulation of Th17 differentiation by epidermal fatty acid-binding protein. Journal of Immunology 2009, 182(12): 7625-7633.  ()
• Reynolds JM, Liu Q, Brittingham KC, Liu Y, Gruenthal M, Gorgun CZ, Hotamisligil GS, Stout RD, Suttles J. Deficiency of fatty acid-binding proteins in mice confers protection from development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Journal of Immunology 2007, 179(1): 313-321.   ()
• Makowski L, Brittingham KC, Reynolds JM, Suttles J, Hotamisligil GS. The fatty acid-binding protein, aP2, coordinates macrophage cholesterol trafficking and inflammatory activity. Macrophage expression of aP2 impacts peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and IkappaB kinase activities. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2005, 280(13): 12888-12895.  ()