Dong-il Kwon
Postdoctoral FellowAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Bioactive enhanced adjuvant chemokine oligonucleotide nanoparticles (BEACONs) for mucosal vaccination against genital herpes.
Bhagchandani SH, Ehrenzeller S, Pires IS, Chaudhary N, Booth CJ, Kwon DI, Koutsioumpa C, Baker CA, Laxton C, Santos Guedes de Sá K, Matthews C, Gill P, Li S, Olszowka A, Hudak A, Fischer S, Bayarri-Olmos R, Hooper WB, Iwasaki A. Bioactive enhanced adjuvant chemokine oligonucleotide nanoparticles (BEACONs) for mucosal vaccination against genital herpes. Sci Immunol 2026, 11: eaea6419. PMID: 42319912, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aea6419.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates a novel vaccine strategy using BEACONs, a mucosal adjuvant, to enhance localized immunity and protect against genital herpes by boosting tissue-resident T cells and antibodies.A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID
de Sá K, Silva J, Bayarri-Olmos R, Baker C, Lu Z, Gipson W, Na D, Chen B, Wenxue L, Khosroabadi D, Brinda R, Constable R, Omene B, Colom Díaz P, Kwon D, Rodrigues G, Heidecke H, Schulze-Forster K, Gross A, Shneer T, Clarke A, Linnekin T, Brate A, Brown L, Buda H, Jatiani S, Moise L, Greene K, Bhagchandani S, Bhattacharjee B, Gehlhausen J, Wood J, Tabacof L, Scheibenbogen C, Liu Y, Guan L, Schneeberger Pane M, Putrino D, Horvath T, Iwasaki A. A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID. Cell 2026, 189: 3214-3235.e37. PMID: 42208499, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.04.042.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCentral nervous systemNeurological symptomsPatient's symptomsPain-related neuronal activityPassive transferAcute SARS-CoV-2 infectionAntibody-dependent phagocytosisTissue-based immunofluorescenceSARS-CoV-2 infectionPurified immunoglobulin GHuman locus coeruleusThermal hyperalgesiaFunctional autoantibodiesFatigue-like behaviorMass spectrometry assayMouse sciatic nerveTransfer of IgGAdrenal glandNerve damageLocus coeruleusPathogenic roleAutoantibodiesPassive transfer of IgGSciatic nerveAutoantibody targetsHarnessing mucosal immunity for protective vaccines
Kwon D, Bhagchandani S, Ehrenzeller S, Iwasaki A. Harnessing mucosal immunity for protective vaccines. Nature Reviews Immunology 2026, 1-18. PMID: 41699393, PMCID: PMC13088808, DOI: 10.1038/s41577-026-01273-7.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMucosal immunityTissue-resident memory TLocal antibody secretionPathogen-specific immune responsesEffective mucosal immunityComplex immune environmentMemory TImmune environmentMucosal sitesMucosal vaccinesMucosal compartmentsB cellsEpithelial barrierEffector mechanismsSterilizing immunityAntibody secretionProtective immunityImmune responseMucosal surfacesHormonal influencesParenteral vaccinationEffective vaccineImmunityVaccineInfectious pathogens
2025
Mucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines elicit local IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity in mice
Kwon D, Mao T, Israelow B, Santos Guedes de Sá K, Dong H, Iwasaki A. Mucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines elicit local IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity in mice. Nature Immunology 2025, 26: 908-919. PMID: 40360777, PMCID: PMC12133566, DOI: 10.1038/s41590-025-02156-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMucosal immunityIgA responsesMemory CD4+ T cellsInduce robust mucosal immunitySARS-CoV-2 spike proteinCD4+ T cellsLocal protective immune responseRobust mucosal immunityRespiratory tractMRNA-LNP vaccinesIgA-secreting plasma cellsB cell recruitmentInduce mucosal immunityPre-existing immunityProtective immune responsesLower respiratory tractRecombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteinLocal IgA responseIntranasal boosterMucosal boostingIntranasal boostSpike proteinMRNA-LNPChemokines CXCL9T cells
2024
Fc-fused IL-7 provides broad antiviral effects against respiratory virus infections through IL-17A-producing pulmonary innate-like T cells.
Kwon DI, Park S, Jeong YL, Kim YM, Min J, Lee C, Choi JA, Choi YH, Kong HJ, Choi Y, Baek S, Lee KJ, Kang YW, Jeong C, You G, Oh Y, Im SK, Song M, Kim JK, Chang J, Choi D, Lee SW. Fc-fused IL-7 provides broad antiviral effects against respiratory virus infections through IL-17A-producing pulmonary innate-like T cells. Cell Rep Med 2024, 5: 101362. PMID: 38232693, DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101362.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Dietary antigens suppress the proliferation of type 2 innate lymphoid cells by restraining homeostatic IL-25 production.
Lee M, Ko HJ, Hong SW, Park J, Ham S, Kim M, Kwon DI, Lee MS, Roh TY, Soon Kim K, Lee YJ. Dietary antigens suppress the proliferation of type 2 innate lymphoid cells by restraining homeostatic IL-25 production. Sci Rep 2022, 12: 7443. PMID: 35523930, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11466-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHomeostatic serum IgE is secreted by plasma cells in the thymus and enhances mast cell survival.
Kwon DI, Park ES, Kim M, Choi YH, Lee MS, Joo SH, Kang YW, Lee M, Jo SB, Lee SW, Kim JK, Lee YJ. Homeostatic serum IgE is secreted by plasma cells in the thymus and enhances mast cell survival. Nat Commun 2022, 13: 1418. PMID: 35301301, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29032-x.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Commensal Microbiome Expands Tγδ17 Cells in the Lung and Promotes Particulate Matter-Induced Acute Neutrophilia.
Yang C, Kwon DI, Kim M, Im SH, Lee YJ. Commensal Microbiome Expands Tγδ17 Cells in the Lung and Promotes Particulate Matter-Induced Acute Neutrophilia. Front Immunol 2021, 12: 645741. PMID: 33854510, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.645741.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies shared differentiation paths of mouse thymic innate T cells.
Lee M, Lee E, Han SK, Choi YH, Kwon DI, Choi H, Lee K, Park ES, Rha MS, Joo DJ, Shin EC, Kim S, Kim JK, Lee YJ. Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies shared differentiation paths of mouse thymic innate T cells. Nat Commun 2020, 11: 4367. PMID: 32868763, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18155-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDysbiotic oral microbiota and infected salivary glands in Sjögren's syndrome.
Alam J, Lee A, Lee J, Kwon DI, Park HK, Park JH, Jeon S, Baek K, Lee J, Park SH, Choi Y. Dysbiotic oral microbiota and infected salivary glands in Sjögren's syndrome. PLoS One 2020, 15: e0230667. PMID: 32208441, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230667.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
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