Jonathan Coquet Group
Our group is interested in how T cells develop and differentiate in response to antigens and cytokines. In particular, the group is focused on understanding the role of T cells in allergy and cancer.
Research Description
T cells recognise peptide/lipid ligands presented in the context of MHC or MHC-like molecules expressed on antigen presenting cells. In particular, the group has a special focus on CD4 T cells, which when activated differentiate into T helper cells with potent cytokine-secreting function. Over the past three decades, several distinct T helper cell subsets have been described including Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg and others and these all exert quite unique immune modulatory effects. My group has many interests, including:
- Understanding how T helper cells promote health and disease
- Deciphering factors that regulate T helper cell function and differentiation
- Phenotyping T helper cells in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues in diseased and healthy contexts
- Probing for other functionalities in the T helper cell spectrum
- Understanding how environmental factors may impact on T helper cell functions
Allergy
Our group is interested in understanding immune responses to allergens. T helper cells, in particular IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 producing Th2 cells have a central role in mediating the pathogenesis of asthma. Over the last few years, we have demonstrated that these cells are characterised by the high expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism including PPAR-g, which likely regulates metabolism in Th2 cells and also promotes effector gene expression.
Many other T helper cell subsets are thought to regulate asthma, especially in adults, and we are interested in characterising T helper cells in different phenotypes of asthma and allergy. Right now, we have a focus on performing single cell RNA-Sequencing analyses in different clinical and preclinical contexts, in order to paint a really clear picture of the T helper cell phenotype in different allergies.
An important factor in the striking rise in allergy incidence over the last few decades has been a complete upheaval in our way of life. Our infectious landscape, diets, living conditions and many other things have changed dramatically over this time, and many of these factors are associated with a rise in the incidence of allergies. We are now devoting more time into understanding how some of these factors from our environment may be affecting allergic sensitisation and aiming to model these in our preclinical allergy models.
Cancer
There is an increasing appreciation that the immune system is intricately involved in the process of cancer initiation and growth. The bulk of research into cancer immunology has focussed on the role of CD8 T cells, and for good reason. However, understanding the role of CD4 T cells and harnessing their full potential is likely to lead to even better outcomes for patients with cancer. Our group is actively pursuing the elucidation of novel genes that may regulate the function of CD8 T lymphocytes in cancer. Further, we are interested in understanding more fully what impact CD4 T cells may have on the process of cancer development, and how these cells may be harnessed to potentiate cancer immunotherapy.
All publications
Selected Publications
Ma J, Urgard E, Runge S, Classon CH, Math盲 L, Stark JM, Cheng L, 脕lvarez JA, von Zedtwitz S, Baleviciute A, Martinez Hoyer S, Li M, Gernand AM, Osbelt L, Bielecka AA, Lesker TR, Huang HJ, Vrtala S, Boon L, Beyaert R, Adner M, Martinez Gonzalez I, Strowig T, Du J, Nyl茅n S, Rosshart SP, Coquet JM
Sci Immunol 2023 Sep;8(87):eadf7702
Open access link:
Stark JM, Liu J, Tibbitt CA, Christian M, Ma J, Wintersand A, Dunst J, Kreslavsky T, Murrell B, Adner M, Gr枚nlund H, Gafvelin G, Coquet JM
Allergy 2022 Oct;77(10):2987-3001
Ma J, Tibbitt CA, Geor茅n SK, Christian M, Murrell B, Cardell LO, Bachert C, Coquet JM.
Sci Immunol. 2021 Aug 13;6(62).
Rohrbeck L, Adori M, Wang S, He C, Tibbitt CA, Chernyshev M, Sirel M, Ribacke U, Murrell B, Bohlooly-Y M, Karlsson MC, Karlsson Hedestam GB, Coquet JM.
Immunol Cell Biol. 2021 Feb;99(2):234-243.
Sheward DJ, Mandolesi M, Urgard E, Kim C, Hanke L, Perez Vidakovics L, Pankow A, Smith NL, Castro Dopico X, McInerney GM, Coquet JM, Karlsson Hedestam GB, Murrell B.
Cell Rep Med. 2021 Nov 16;2(11):100450.
Stark JM, Coquet JM, Tibbitt CA.
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2021 Oct 25;21(11):45.
Coquet JM.
Sci Immunol. 2020 Jun 12;5(48).
Tibbitt CA, Stark JM, Martens L, Ma J, Mold JE, Deswarte K, et al
Immunity 2019 07;51(1):169-184.e5
Stark JM, Tibbitt CA, Coquet JM
Front Immunol 2019 ;10():2318
Feng X, Classon C, Ter谩n G, Yang Y, Li L, Chan S, et al
PLoS Pathog. 2018 05;14(5):e1007008
Ting Chen, Christopher A. Tibbitt, Xiaogang Feng, Julian M. Stark, Leona Rohrbeck, Lisa Rausch, Saikiran K Sedimbi, Mikael C. I. Karlsson, Bart N. Lambrecht, Gunilla B. Karlsson Hedestam, Rudi W. Hendriks, Benedict J. Chambers, Susanne Nyl茅n and Jonathan M. Coquet
Science Immunology 10 Mar 2017: Vol. 2, Issue 9, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aal5196
Coquet J, Schuijs M, Smyth M, Deswarte K, Beyaert R, Braun H, et al
Immunity 2015 Aug;43(2):318-30
Coquet J, Rausch L, Borst J
Immunol. Cell Biol. 2015 Oct;93(9):780-8
Coquet JM, Middendorp S, van der Horst G, Kind J, Veraar EA, Xiao Y, et al
Immunity 2013 Jan;38(1):53-65
Coquet JM, Ribot JC, B膮ba艂a N, Middendorp S, van der Horst G, Xiao Y, et al
J. Exp. Med. 2013 Apr;210(4):715-28
Recruitment
We are always looking for enthusiastic researchers to join the group, so don鈥檛 be afraid to contact Jonathan Coquet on the email address below
Funding
Jonathan is and has been supported by funding from the Swedish Research Council, Cancerfonden, Barncancerfonden, KI foundations, Ollie and Elof Ericsson Stiftelse, Klas Groschinsky foundation and Sagens Stiftelse.