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Research and Clinical Interests

Dr. Feske's research is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying calcium signaling pathways in lymphocytes and the role they play for immune function in vitro and in vivo. Important molecules in this pathway, the CRAC calcium channel protein Orai1 and its activator Stim1 were recently discovered by his and other labs. The Feske lab studies the regulation of the STIM1-Orai1 pathway and explores its role for immune function in health and disease using human and animal models. Visit the new Feske Lab website.

Selected Publications

McCarl CA, Khalil S, Ma J, Oh-hora M, Yamashita M, Roether J, Kawasaki T, Jairaman A, Sasaki Y, Prakriya M, Feske S. Store-operated Ca2+ entry through ORAI1 is critical for T cell mediated autoimmunity and allograft rejection. J Immunol. 2010 Nov 15;185(10):5845-58. Epub 2010 Oct 18. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 20956344. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1001796. PMCID: PMC2974040 [Available on 2011/11/1].

Ma J, McCarl CA, Khalil S, Lüthy K, Feske S. T cell specific deletion of STIM1 and STIM2 protects mice from EAE by impairing effector functions of TH1 and TH17 cells. Eur J Immunol. 2010 Nov;40(11):3028-42. Epub 2010 Oct 27. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 21061435. doi: 10.1002/eji.201040614.

McCarl CA, Picard C, Khalil S, Kawasaki T, Röther J, Papolos A, Kutok J, Hivroz C, LeDeist F, Plogmann K, Ehl S, Notheis G, Albert MH, Belohradsky BH, Kirschner J, Rao A, Fischer A, Feske S. ORAI1 deficiency and lack of store-operated Ca2+ entry cause immunodeficiency, myopathy and ectodermal dysplasia. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Dec;124(6):1311-1318.e7. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 20004786. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2009.10.007.

Lur G, Haynes LP, Prior IA, Gerasimenko OV, Feske S, Petersen OH, Burgoyne RD, Tepikin AV. Ribosome-free terminals of rough ER allow formation of STIM1 puncta and segregation of STIM1 from IP3 receptors. Curr Biol. 2009 Oct 13;19(19):1648-53. Epub 2009 Sep 17. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 19765991. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.07.072.

Kawasaki T, Lange I, Feske S. A minimal regulatory domain in the C terminus of STIM1 binds to and activates ORAI1 CRAC channels. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Jul 17;385(1):49-54. Epub 2009 May 9. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 19433061. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.05.020.

Picard C, McCarl CA, Papolos A, Khalil S, Lüthy K, Hivroz C, LeDeist F, Rieux-Laucat F, Rechavi G, Rao A, Fischer A, Feske S. STIM1 Mutation Associated with a Syndrome of Immunodeficiency and Autoimmunity. N Engl J Med. 2009 May 7;360(19):1971-80. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 19420366. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0900082.

Bergmeier W, Oh-Hora M, McCarl CA, Roden RC, Bray PF, Feske S. R93W mutation in Orai1 causes impaired calcium influx in platelets. Blood. 2009 Jan 15;113(3):675-8. Epub 2008 Oct 24. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 18952890. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-08-174516. PMCID: PMC2628374.

Oh-hora M, Yamashita M, Hogan PG, Sharma S, Lamperti E, Chung W, Prakriya M, Feske S, Rao A. Dual functions for the endoplasmic reticulum calcium sensors STIM1 and STIM2 in T cell activation and tolerance. Nat Immunol. 2008;9:432-43. Epub 2008 Mar 9. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 18327260. doi: 10.1038/ni1574. PMCID: PMC2737533.

Gwack Y, Srikanth S, Feske S, Cruz-Guilloty F, Oh-hora M, Neems D, Hogan PG, Rao A. Biochemical and functional characterization of Orai proteins. J Biological Chem. 2007;282:16232-43. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17293345. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M609630200.

Feske, S. Calcium signals in lymphocyte activation and disease. Nat Rev Immunol. 2007;7:690-702. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17703229. doi: 10.1038/nri2152.

Gwack Y, Feske S, Srikanth S, Hogan P, Rao A. Signalling to transcription: store-operated Ca2+ entry and NFAT activation in lymphocytes. Cell Calcium. 2007;42:145-56. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17572487. doi: 10.1016/j.ceca.2007.03.007.

Gwack Y, Sharma S, Nardone J, Tanasa B, Iuga A, Srikanth A, Okamura H, Bolton D, Feske S, Hogan PG, Rao A. A genome-wide Drosophila RNAi screen identifies novel regulators of Ca2+/ calcineurin/ NFAT signaling: DYRK, STIM and cathepsin B. Nature. 2006;441:646-50. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16511445. doi: 10.1038/nature04631.

Feske S*, Gwack Y*, Prakriya M, Srikanth S, Puppel SH, Tanasa B, Hogan PG, Lewis RS, Daly M, Rao A. A mutation in Orai1 causes immune deficiency by abrogating CRAC channel function. Nature. 2006;441:179-85. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16582901. doi: 10.1038/nature04702.

Prakriya M*, Feske S*, Gwack Y*, Srikanth S, Rao A, Hogan P. Orai1 is an essential pore subunit of the CRAC channel. Nature. 2006;443:230-3. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16921383. doi: 10.1038/nature05122.

Feske S*, Prakriya M*, Rao A, Lewis R. A severe defect in CRAC Ca2+ channel function associated with altered K+ channel gating properties in T cells from immunodeficient patients. J Exp Med. 2005;202:651-62. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16147976.

Selected Books and Reviews

Feske S. ORAI1 and STIM1 deficiency in human and mice: roles of store-operated Ca2+ entry in the immune system and beyond. Immunol Rev. 2009;231:189-209. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 19754898. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065X.2009.00818.x.

Feske S, Rao A, Hogan P. The Ca2+ - calcineurin - NFAT signalling pathway. In: Krebs J, Michalak M, editors. Calcium, a Matter of Life or Death. New Comprehensive Biochemistry. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2007.

Feske S, Peter HH. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). In: NORD Guide to Rare Disorders, editor. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). NORD Guide to Rare Disorders. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2002.

Organizational Associations

American Association of Immunologists (AAI); Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie (DGfI; German Immunology Society); Pluto Society (American Association of University Pathologists); Biophysical Society

Selected Awards

2007 Georges-Koehler Award of the German Immunology Society (DGfI)
2000 - 2003 Research Fellowship, Cancer Research Institute, New York
1998 - 2000 Research Fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany
1998 Hans-Hench Foundation Fellowship, Germany
1996 Ludwig-Heilmeyer Award for best medical degree thesis, University of Freiburg Medical School, Germany
1996 M.D. with summa cum laude

Additional Information

Research Profile