Steven L. Reiner, M.D.
Professor, Dept of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute;
Chair, Immunology Graduate Group

Cancer Biology Program

Address

Biomedical Rsch Bldg (BRB) II/III, Room 414
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6160

Office tel.: 215 746-5536
Lab tel.: 215 746-5543
Fax: 215 746-5525
E-mail: sreiner@mail.med.upenn.edu

Link(s)

Dr. Reiner's Abramson page

Dr. Reiner's Immunology page

Dr. Reiner's Parasitology page

EDUCATION

Haverford College: BA (Philosophy), 1982.

Duke University: MD (Medicine), 1985.

UCSF: Postdoctoral Research (Biochemistry), 1990-1994.

Research Interests

• Transcriptional control of lymphocyte differentiation. Gene silencing, chromatin structure and DNA methylation.

Key words: chromatin, epigenetics, transcription, lymphocyte.

Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

T cell differentiation and the problem of cellular inheritance

The Reiner laboratory studies how lymphocytes make decisions. A combination of extrinsic signals triggered by pathogens can lead to divergent immune cell fates, each of which plays a critical role in defending us against the diversity of microbial opponents. The clonal expansion of a naive T cell during an immune response provides a model to study the sequential plasticity/stability of cellular differentiation. The ability to manipulate T cell gene expression in vitro and in vivo, together with an ability to perform phenotypic and biochemical studies of chromatin within specific cell divisions should allow construction of a detailed cellular and sub-cellular fate map of an important developmental program in mammals, the immune response. Study of T cell differentiation should continue to become an increasingly useful model for inquiry into the fundamental problem of regulated gene expression in dividing and differentiating cells. Such studies should also illuminate a novel set of pathways that can be targeted for enhancing or diverting the immune response.

Recent Publicantions

Pearce, E.L., Mullen, A.C., Martins, G.A., Krawczyk, C.K., Hutchins, A. S., Zediak, V.P., Banica, M., DiCioccio, C.B., Gross, D.A, Mao, C., Shen, H., Cereb, N., Yang, S.Y., Lindsten, T., Rossant, J, Hunter, C.A., and Reiner, S.L. Control of effector CD8+ T cell function by the transcription factor Eomesodermin. Science, 302:1041-1043, 2003.

Tato, C.M., Martins, G.A., High, F.A., DiCioccio, C.B., Reiner, S.L. and Hunter C.A. Cutting Edge: Innate production of IFN-gamma by NK cells is independent of epigenetic modification of the IFN-gamma promoter. Journal of Immunology 173:1514-1517, 2004.

Lieberman, L.A., Banica, M., Reiner, S.L. and Hunter C.A. STAT1 plays a critical role in the regulation of antimicrobial effector mechanisms, but not in the development of Th1-type responses during toxoplasmosis. Journal of Immunology 172:457-463, 2004.

Anfossi, N., Robbins, S.H., Ugolini, S., Georgel, P., Hoebe, K., Bouneaud, C., Ronet, C., Kaser, A., DiCioccio, c.B., Tomasello, E., Blumberg, R.S., Beutler, B., Reiner, S.L., Alexopoulou, L., Lantz, O., Raulet, D.H., Brossay, L. and Vivier, E. 2004. Expansion and function of CD8+ T cells expressing Ly49 inhibitory receptors specific for MHC class I molecules. J Immunol 173:3773-3782.

Hewitt, S.L., High, F.A., Reiner, S.L., Fisher, A.G., and Merkenschlager, M. 2004. Nuclear repositioning marks the selective exclusion of lineage-inappropriate transcription factor loci during T helper cell differentiation. European Journal of Immunology 34:3604-3613.

Lab

Rotation Projects

Characterize the mechanisms of action of novel transcriptional regulators of immune cell differentiation.

Lab personnel:

Arnob Banerjee - Postdoctoral fellow
John Chang - Postdoctoral fellow
Christopher Gasink – Postdoctoral fellow
Andrew Intlekofer – Graduate student
Ichiko Kinjo - Postdoctoral fellow
Sarah Longworth - Research specialist
John Northrup - Research specialist
Felix Schambach - Postdoctoral fellow
Jennifer Stundon – Research specialist
Naofumi Takemoto - Postdoctoral fellow