Dr Cecile King

Dr Cecile King

Associate Professor
Science
School of Biotech & Biomolecular Science

About me

Associate Professor Cecile King, Ph.D., joined the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales Sydney in 2021. CK received her Ph.D. in Immunology from UWA and completed her postdoctoral training at the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA. She joined the faculty of the Garvan Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia in 2005. CK continues to be intrigued by how the immune system maintains tolerance to self and has made important contributions to our understanding of adaptive immune responses and autoimmunity. CK’s current research focus is RNA at the immune interface: Understanding both immune recognition of RNA and immune regulation by non-coding RNA and transposable elements.

 

 

Phone
+61 2 9348 0789
Location
Room 420C, Level 4 Biological Sciences Building North, D26
  • Books | 2020
    King C, 2020, Follicular Helper T Cells in Immunity and Autoimmunity, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/978-2-88963-847-5
  • Book Chapters | 2000
    King C; Stewart GA; Thompson PJ; Robinson C; McWilliam AS, 2000, 'Potential consequences of interactions between aeroallergens and cells within the respiratory tree', in Gehr P; Heyder J (ed.), Particle-Lung Interactions, Marcel Dekker Inc, New York, U.S.A., pp. 491 - 518, http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/b14423
  • Journal articles | 2022
    Balachandran H; Phetsouphanh C; Agapiou D; Adhikari A; Rodrigo C; Hammoud M; Shrestha LB; Keoshkerian E; Gupta M; Turville S; Christ D; King C; Sasson SC; Bartlett A; Grubor-Bauk B; Rawlinson W; Aggarwal A; Stella AO; Klemm V; Mina MM; Post JJ; Hudson B; Gilroy N; Konecny P; Ahlenstiel G; Dwyer DE; Sorrell TC; Kelleher A; Tedla N; Lloyd AR; Martinello M; Bull RA, 2022, 'Maintenance of broad neutralizing antibodies and memory B cells 1 year post-infection is predicted by SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cell responses', Cell Reports, 38, pp. 110345, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110345
    Journal articles | 2022
    Bartonicek N; Rouet R; Warren J; Loetsch C; Rodriguez GS; Walters S; Lin F; Zahra D; Blackburn J; Hammond JM; Reis ALM; Deveson IW; Zammit N; Zeraati M; Grey S; Christ D; Mattick JS; Chtanova T; Brink R; Dinger ME; Weatheritt RJ; Sprent J; King C, 2022, 'The retroelement Lx9 puts a brake on the immune response to virus infection', Nature, 608, pp. 757 - 765, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05054-9
    Journal articles | 2022
    Kurtović M; Piteša N; Bartoniček N; Ozretić P; Musani V; Čonkaš J; Petrić T; King C; Sabol M, 2022, 'RNA-seq and ChIP-seq Identification of Unique and Overlapping Targets of GLI Transcription Factors in Melanoma Cell Lines', Cancers, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers14184540
    Journal articles | 2021
    King C; Sprent J, 2021, 'Dual Nature of Type I Interferons in SARS-CoV-2-Induced Inflammation', Trends in Immunology, 42, pp. 312 - 322, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2021.02.003
    Journal articles | 2021
    King C, 2021, 'Tfh cells set the stage for tumor control', Immunity, 54, pp. 2690 - 2692, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2021.11.013
    Journal articles | 2021
    Sprent J; King C, 2021, 'COVID-19 vaccine side effects: The positives about feeling bad', Science Immunology, 6, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.abj9256
    Journal articles | 2020
    King C, 2020, 'CAR NK Cell Therapy for T Follicular Helper Cells', Cell Reports Medicine, 1, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100009
    Journal articles | 2019
    Cosorich I; McGuire HM; Warren J; Danta M; King C, 2019, 'CCR9 expressing T helper and T follicular helper cells exhibit site-specific identities during inflammatory disease', Frontiers in Immunology, 10, pp. 2899, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02899
    Journal articles | 2019
    Lalwani A; Warren J; Liuwantara D; Hawthorne WJ; O'Connell PJ; Gonzalez FJ; Stokes RA; Chen J; Laybutt DR; Craig ME; Swarbrick MM; King C; Gunton JE, 2019, 'β Cell Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Is Required for the Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes', Cell Reports, 27, pp. 2370 - 2384.e6, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.086
    Journal articles | 2019
    Zammit N; Siggs OM; Gray P; King C; Christ D; Goodnow CC; Grey S, 2019, 'Phospho-tuning immunity through Denisovan, modern human and mouse TNFAIP3 gene variants', bioRxiv, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/589507
    Journal articles | 2019
    Zammit NW; Siggs OM; Gray PE; Horikawa K; Langley DB; Walters SN; Daley SR; Loetsch C; Warren J; Yap JY; Cultrone D; Russell A; Malle EK; Villanueva JE; Cowley MJ; Gayevskiy V; Dinger ME; Brink R; Zahra D; Chaudhri G; Karupiah G; Whittle B; Roots C; Bertram E; Yamada M; Jeelall Y; Enders A; Clifton BE; Mabbitt PD; Jackson CJ; Watson SR; Jenne CN; Lanier LL; Wiltshire T; Spitzer MH; Nolan GP; Schmitz F; Aderem A; Porebski BT; Buckle AM; Abbott DW; Ziegler JB; Craig ME; Benitez-Aguirre P; Teo J; Tangye SG; King C; Wong M; Cox MP; Phung W; Tang J; Sandoval W; Wertz IE; Christ D; Goodnow CC; Grey ST, 2019, 'Denisovan, modern human and mouse TNFAIP3 alleles tune A20 phosphorylation and immunity', Nature Immunology, 20, pp. 1299 - 1310, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41590-019-0492-0
    Journal articles | 2018
    Wirasinha RC; Vijayan D; Smith NJ; Parnell GP; Swarbrick A; Brink R; King C; Stewart G; Booth DR; Batten M, 2018, 'GPR65 inhibits experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through CD4+ T cell independent mechanisms that include effects on iNKT cells', Immunology and Cell Biology, 96, pp. 128 - 136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imcb.1031
    Journal articles | 2017
    Corpuz TM; Vazquez-Lombardi R; Luong JK; Warren J; Stolp J; Christ D; King C; Brink R; Sprent J; Webster KE, 2017, 'IL-2 shapes the survival and plasticity of IL-17-producing γδ T Cells', Journal of Immunology, 199, pp. 2366 - 2376, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1700335
    Journal articles | 2017
    Jandl C; Liu SM; Cañete PF; Warren J; Hughes WE; Vogelzang A; Webster K; Craig ME; Uzel G; Dent A; Stepensky P; Keller B; Warnatz K; Sprent J; King C, 2017, 'IL-21 restricts T follicular regulatory T cell proliferation through Bcl-6 mediated inhibition of responsiveness to IL-2', Nature Communications, 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14647
    Journal articles | 2017
    Jandl C; Loetsch C; King C, 2017, 'Cytokine expression by T follicular helper cells', Methods in Molecular Biology, 1623, pp. 95 - 103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7095-7_8
    Journal articles | 2017
    Loetsch C; Warren J; Laskowski A; Vazquez-Lombardi R; Jandl C; Langley DB; Christ D; Thorburn DR; Ryugo DK; Sprent J; Batten M; King C, 2017, 'Cytosolic Recognition of RNA Drives the Immune Response to Heterologous Erythrocytes', Cell Reports, 21, pp. 1624 - 1638, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.044
    Journal articles | 2017
    Vazquez-Lombardi R; Loetsch C; Zinkl D; Jackson J; Schofield P; Deenick EK; King C; Phan TG; Webster KE; Sprent J; Christ D, 2017, 'Potent antitumour activity of interleukin-2-Fc fusion proteins requires Fc-mediated depletion of regulatory T-cells', Nature Communications, 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15373
    Journal articles | 2016
    Cho JH; Kim HO; Ju YJ; Kye YC; Lee GW; Lee SW; Yun CH; Bottini N; Webster K; Goodnow CC; Surh CD; King C; Sprent J, 2016, 'CD45-mediated control of TCR tuning in naïve and memory CD8+ T cells', Nature Communications, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13373
    Journal articles | 2016
    Jandl C; King C, 2016, 'Cytokines in the Germinal Center Niche (vol 5, 5 2016)', ANTIBODIES, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antib5020010
    Journal articles | 2016
    Jandl C; King C, 2016, 'Cytokines in the germinal center niche', Antibodies, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antib5010005
    Journal articles | 2016
    vijayan D; redzwan M; avery DT; wirasinha RC; brink R; walters G; adelstein S; kobayashi M; gray P; elliott M; king C; vinuesa C; ghilardi N; ma CS; Tangye SG; batten M, 2016, 'IL-27 Directly Enhances Germinal Center B Cell Activity and Potentiates Lupus in Sanroque Mice', Journal of Immunology, 197, pp. 3008 - 3017, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1600652
    Journal articles | 2015
    Foo SY; Zhang V; Lalwani A; Lynch JP; Zhuang A; Lam CE; Foster PS; King C; Steptoe RJ; Mazzone SB; Sly PD; Phipps S, 2015, 'Regulatory T cells prevent Inducible BALT formation by dampening neutrophilic inflammation', Journal of Immunology, 194, pp. 4567 - 4576, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1400909
    Journal articles | 2015
    McGuire HM; Vogelzang A; Warren J; Loetsch C; Natividad KD; Chan TD; Brink R; Batten M; King C, 2015, 'IL-21 and IL-4 collaborate to shape t-dependent antibody responses', Journal of Immunology, 195, pp. 5123 - 5135, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1501463
    Journal articles | 2014
    King C; McGuire H, 2014, 'The immunobiology of interleukin-21', Encyclopedia of Medical Immunology, 1
    Journal articles | 2014
    Tobias I; King C; Newton A, 2014, 'Mechanisms of atypical protein kinase C activation in insulin signaling (767.9)', The FASEB Journal, 28, http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.767.9
    Journal articles | 2014
    Vogelzang A; McGuire HM; Liu SM; Gloss B; Mercado K; Earls P; Dinger ME; Batten M; Sprent J; King C, 2014, 'IL-21 contributes to fatal inflammatory disease in the absence of Foxp3+ T regulatory cells', Journal of Immunology, 192, pp. 1404 - 1414, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1302285
    Journal articles | 2013
    Liu SM; King C, 2013, 'IL-21-producing Th cells in immunity and autoimmunity', Journal of Immunology, 191, pp. 3501 - 3506, http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1301454
    Journal articles | 2013
    Natividad KDT; Junankar S; Mohd redzwan N; Wirasinha RC; King C; Brink R; Swarbrick A; Batten ML; Nair R, 2013, 'Interleukin-27 Signaling Promotes Immunity against Endogenously Arising Murine Tumors', PLoS ONE, 8, pp. e57469, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057469
    Journal articles | 2012
    King C; Sprent J, 2012, 'Emerging cellular networks for regulation of T follicular helper cells', Trends in Immunology, 33, pp. 59 - 65, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2011.11.006
    Journal articles | 2011
    Badami E; Sorini C; Coccia M; Usuelli V; Molteni L; Bolla AM; Scavini M; King C; Bosi E; Falcone M, 2011, 'Defective differentiation of regulatory FoxP3+ T cells by small-intestinal dendritic cells in patients with type 1 diabetes', Diabetes, 60, pp. 2120 - 2124, http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/db10-1201
    Journal articles | 2011
    King C; Sarvetnick N, 2011, 'The incidence of type-1 diabetes in NOD mice is modulated by restricted flora not germ-free conditions', PLoS One, 6, pp. e17049, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017049
    Journal articles | 2011
    King C, 2011, 'A Fine Romance: T Follicular Helper Cells and B Cells', Immunity, 34, pp. 827 - 829, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2011.06.007
    Journal articles | 2011
    McGuire HM; Vogelzang A; Ma CS; Hughes WE; Silveira PA; Tangye SG; Christ DU; Fulcher DA; Falcone M; King C, 2011, 'A subset of interleukin-21(+) chemokine receptor CCR9(+) T helper cells target accessory organs of the digestive system in autoimmunity', Immunity, 34, pp. 602 - 615, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2011.01.021
    Journal articles | 2011
    McGuire HM; Walters SN; Vogelzang A; Lee CM; Webster KE; Sprent J; Christ DU; Grey S; King C, 2011, 'Interleukin-21 is critically required in autoimmune and allogeneic responses to islet tissue in murine models', Diabetes, 60, pp. 867 - 875, http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/db10-1157
    Journal articles | 2010
    Lee CM; McGuire HM; Basten A; King C; Christ DU, 2010, 'Expression, purification and characterization of recombinant interleukin-21', Journal of Immunological Methods, 362, pp. 185 - 189, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jim.2010.08.008
    Journal articles | 2009
    King C, 2009, 'New insights into the differentiation and function of T follicular helper cells', Nature Reviews Immunology, 9, pp. 757 - 766, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nri2644
    Journal articles | 2009
    McGuire HM; Vogelzang A; Hill N; Flodstrom-Tullberg M; Sprent J; King C, 2009, 'Loss of parity between IL-2 and IL-21 in the NOD Idd3 locus', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106, pp. 19438 - 19443, http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0903561106
    Journal articles | 2009
    Vogelzang A; McGuire H; Sprent J; King C, 2009, 'A fundamental role for Interleukin-21 in germinal center antibody responses', JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 182, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000209763600130&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Journal articles | 2009
    Yu D; Batten ML; MacKay CR; King C, 2009, 'Lineage specification and heterogeneity of T follicular helper cells', Current Opinion in Immunology, 21, pp. 619 - 625, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2009.09.013
    Journal articles | 2008
    Akerfeldt M; Howes J; Chan JY; Stevens VA; Boubenna N; McGuire HM; King C; Biden TJ; Laybutt DR, 2008, 'Cytokin-induced (beta)-cell death is independent of endoplasmic reticulum stress signalling', Diabetes, 57, pp. 3034 - 3044, http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/db07-1802
    Journal articles | 2008
    Hill NJ; King C; Flodstrom-Tullberg M, 2008, 'Recent acquisitions on the genetic basis of autoimmune disease', Frontiers in Bioscience, 13, pp. 4838 - 4851, http://dx.doi.org/10.2741/3043
    Journal articles | 2008
    King C, 2008, 'T helper cell differentiation - IL-21 and T helper cell differentiation: Jack of all trades?', Immunology and Cell Biology, 86, pp. 554 - 556, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/icb.2008.51
    Journal articles | 2008
    King CK; Tangye SG; MacKay CR, 2008, 'T follicular helper (T-FH) cells in normal and dysregulated immune responses', Annual Review of Immunology, 26, pp. 741 - 766, http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.immunol.26.021607.090344
    Journal articles | 2008
    Sonderegger I; Kisielow J; Meier R; King C; Kopf M, 2008, 'IL-21 and IL-21R are not required for development of Th17 cells and autoimmunity in vivo', European Journal of Immunology, 38, pp. 1833 - 1838, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.200838511
    Journal articles | 2008
    Vogelzang A; King C, 2008, 'The modulatory capacity of interleukin-21 in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease', Frontiers in Bioscience, 13, pp. 5304 - 5315, http://dx.doi.org/10.2741/3082
    Journal articles | 2008
    Vogelzang A; McGuire H; Yu D; Sprent J; MacKay CR; King CK, 2008, 'A fundamental role for interleukin-21 in the generation of T follicular helper cells', Immunity, 29, pp. 127 - 137, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2008.06.001
    Journal articles | 2004
    King C; Ilic A; Koelsch KK; Sarvetnick N, 2004, 'Homeostatic Expansion of T Cells during Immune Insufficiency Generates Autoimmunity', Cell, 117, pp. 265 - 277, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0092-8674(04)00335-6
    Journal articles | 2002
    Cobb BR; Ruiz F; King CM; Fortenberry J; Greer H; Kovacs T; Sorscher EJ; Clancy JP, 2002, 'A(2) adenosine receptors regulate CFTR through PKA and PLA(2)', AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LUNG CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHYSIOLOGY, 282, pp. L12 - L25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajplung.2002.282.1.L12
    Journal articles | 2001
    Hayashi M; Tapping RI; Chao TH; Lo JF; King CC; Yang Y; Lee JD, 2001, 'BMK1 Mediates Growth Factor-induced Cell Proliferation through Direct Cellular Activation of Serum and Glucocorticoid-inducible Kinase', Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276, pp. 8631 - 8634, http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.C000838200
    Journal articles | 2001
    King C; Mueller Hoenger R; Malo Cleary M; Murali-Krishna K; Ahmed R; King E; Sarvetnick N, 2001, 'Interleukin-4 acts at the locus of the antigen-presenting dendritic cell to counter-regulate cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell responses', Nature Medicine, 7, pp. 206 - 214, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/84659
    Journal articles | 2000
    King C, 2000, 'Potential consequences of interactions between aeroallergens and cells within the respiratory tree', Particle-Lung Interactions, http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/b14423
    Journal articles | 1998
    King C; Brennan S; Thompson PJ; Stewart GA, 1998, 'Dust mite proteolytic allergens induce cytokine release from cultured airway epithelium', Journal of Immunology, 161, pp. 3645 - 3651
    Journal articles | 1998
    King C; Davies J; Mueller R; Lee MS; Krahl T; Yeung B; O'Connor E; Sarvetnick N, 1998, 'TGF-β1 alters APC preference, polarizing islet antigen responses toward a Th2 phenotype', Immunity, 8, pp. 601 - 613, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1074-7613(00)80565-8
    Journal articles | 1997
    King C; Sarvetnick N, 1997, 'Organ-specific autoimmunity', Current Opinion in Immunology, 9, pp. 863 - 871, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0952-7915(97)80191-4
    Journal articles | 1997
    ROBINSON C; KALSHEKER NA; SRINIVASAN N; KING CM; GARROD DR; THOMPSON PJ; STEWART GA, 1997, 'On the potential significance of the enzymatic activity of mite allergens to immunogenicity. Clues to structure and function revealed by molecular characterization', Clinical <html_ent glyph="@amp;" ascii="&amp;"/> Experimental Allergy, 27, pp. 10 - 21, http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2222.1997.d01-415.x
    Journal articles | 1997
    Robinson C; Kalsheker NA; Srinivasan N; King CM; Garrod DR; Thompson PJ; Stewart GA, 1997, 'On the potential significance of the enzymatic activity of mite allergens to immunogenicity. Clues to structure and function revealed by molecular characterization', Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 27, pp. 10 - 21, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1997.tb00667.x
    Journal articles | 1996
    King C; Simpson RJ; Moritz RL; Reed GE; Thompson PJ; Stewart GA, 1996, 'The isolation and characterization of a novel collagenolytic serine protease allergen (Der p 9) from the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus', Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 98, pp. 739 - 747, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0091-6749(96)70121-5
    Journal articles | 1995
    Herbert CA; King CM; Ring PC; Holgate ST; Stewart GA; Thompson PJ; Robinson C, 1995, 'Augmentation of permeability in the bronchial epithelium by the house dust mite allergen Der p1.', American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 12, pp. 369 - 378, http://dx.doi.org/10.1165/ajrcmb.12.4.7695916
    Journal articles | 1994
    Stewart GA; Kollinger MR; King CM; Thompson PJ, 1994, 'A comparative study of three serine proteases from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae', Allergy, 49, pp. 553 - 560, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.1994.tb01128.x
  • Conference Abstracts | 2016
    Jandl C; Liu SM; Nieto FDCP; Warren J; Hughes WE; Vogelzang A; Webster K; Craig M; Uzel G; Tangye S; Dent A; Vinuesa C; Sprent J; King C, 2016, 'Interleukin-21 limits regulatory T cell populations by modulating responsiveness to Interleukin-2', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 102 - 102, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610400203&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2016
    Jandl C; Loetsch C; Warren J; King C, 2016, 'Interleukin-21 mediated STAT1 activation in the germinal centre response to T-dependent antigen', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 1186 - 1186, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610402784&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2016
    Loetsch C; Warren J; Jandl C; King C, 2016, 'Nucleic acid recognition via MAVS is critical for robust adaptive immunity', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 850 - 851, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610402101&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2016
    Loetsch C; Warren J; Parsons J; Buske F; Dinger M; King C, 2016, 'Regulation of immune response genes by endogenous retroviruses', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 69 - 69, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610400138&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2016
    Vijayan D; Redzwan MN; Avery D; Wirasinha R; Brink R; Walters G; Adelstein S; Kobayashi M; Gray P; Elliott M; King C; Vinuesa C; Ghilardi N; Ma C; Tangye S; Batten M, 2016, 'IL-27 directly influences germinal center B cell development via STAT1', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, Vol. 46, pp. 1082 - 1082, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610402571&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2005
    McGuire H; King CK; Liuwantara D; Zahra DG; Grey S, 2005, 'Promoter polymorphisms in the NOD IL-21 gone', in Tissue Antigens, Blackwell Munksgaard, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, Vol. 66, pp. 491 - 491, presented at 35th Annual SCientific Meeting of the Australasian-Society-for-Immunology/14th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshops, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, 29 November 2005 - 02 December 2005, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000233542700406&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a
    Preprints |
    Balachandran H; Phetsouphanh C; Agapiou D; Adhikari A; Rodrigo C; Hammoud M; Shrestha LB; Keoshkerian E; Gupta M; Turville S; Christ D; King C; Sasson S; Bartlett A; Grubor-Bauk B; Rawlinson W; Aggarwal A; Stella AO; Klemm V; Mina MM; Post JJ; Hudson B; Gilroy N; Konecny P; Ahlenstiel G; Dwyer D; Sorrell TC; Kelleher A; Tedla N; Lloyd AR; Martinello M; Bull RA, Maintenance of Broad Neutralising Antibodies and Memory B Cells 12 Months Post-Infection Is Predicted by SARS-CoV-2 Specific CD4+ T Cell Responses, , http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3920641

Research program

One of the most intriguing aspects of the immune system is its ability to react to foreign invaders, but not to self. To distinguish healthy cells (self) from infected cells or pathogens, the immune system utilizes multiple receptors and signalling pathways that enable specific recognition of proteins and nucleic acids. Recognition of foreign RNA occurs inside cells and depends upon unique features of pathogen RNA that allow our RNA sensors to see it as foreign. However, for some people, the immune system reacts inappropriately to self-RNA and this can trigger autoimmunity.

The achievement of self-tolerance is even more impressive when we consider that we are colonized by multiple microbial species that are important for our health, and our genomes harbour an abundance of retrovirally sourced nucleic acid acquired from past encounters with retroviruses, known as retrotransposons. In fact, only about 1% of our genome is made up of genes that make proteins; the other 99% is called non-coding. About half of that non-coding contribution contains DNA sequences known as retrotransposons that have copied and pasted themselves throughout our genomes over evolutionary time. Retrotransposons are information rich; containing sequences that regulate gene transcription, shape the 3D structure of our genetic material and are transcribed into RNA. Whilst a challenge for self-tolerance, the retention of retrotransposons in the genome has been shown to serve multiple regulatory functions that influence the transcription of protein coding genes. Our own work has shown that retrotransposons can function to regulate the immune response, favouring host survival during virus infection.

We are employing both an inside and outside approach to study RNA in the immune system-by studying how the immune system senses RNA during immune responses and how retroelement RNA’s regulate immune responses.

Project 1: The role of retrotransposons in regulation of immune responses. This project will take a genome-wide approach to analyse the role of retrotransposons in the regulation of the immune system.

Project 2: RNA sensing in health and disease. This project will probe the underlying mechanisms of RNA sensing by the immune system and how autoimmune disease associated mutations in RNA recognition pathways influence immune responses.

Contact Cecile about research supervision opportunities: c.king@unsw.edu.au

Selected publications

  • Nenad Bartonicek, Romain Rouet, Joanna Warren, Claudia Loetsch, Gabriela Santos Rodriguez, Stacey Walters, Francis Lin, David Zahra, James Blackburn, Jillian M. Hammond, Andre L. M. Reis, Ira W. Deveson, Nathan Zammit, Mahdi Zeraati, Shane Grey, Daniel Christ, John S. Mattick, Tatyana Chtanova, Robert Brink, Marcel E. Dinger, Robert J Weatheritt, Jonathan Sprent and Cecile King (2022). The retroelement Lx9 puts a brake on the immune response to virus infection. Nature 608(7924):757-765. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05054-9.
  • Cecile King and Jonathan Sprent (2021). The dual nature of type-I interferons in SARS-CoV-2 induced inflammation. Trends in Immunology 42(4):312-322 01 Apr 2021. doi:10.1016/ j.it.2021.02.003.
  • Loetsch C, Warren J, Laskowski A, Vazquez-Lombardi R, Jandl C, Langley DB, Christ D, Thorburn DR, Ryugo DK, Sprent J, Batten M, King C (2017) Cytosolic Recognition of RNA Drives the Immune Response to Heterologous Erythrocytes. Cell Reports 21 (6):1624-1638. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.044
  • Jandl C, Liu SM, Cañete PF, Warren J, Hughes WE, Vogelzang A, Webster K, Craig ME, Uzel G, Dent A, Stepensky P, Keller B, Warnatz K, Sprent J, King C (2017) IL-21 restricts T follicular regulatory T cell proliferation through Bcl-6 mediated inhibition of responsiveness to IL-2. Nature Communications 8. doi:10.1038/ncomms14647.
  • McGuire HM, Vogelzang A, Ma CS, Hughes WE, Silveira PA, Tangye SG, Christ D, Fulcher D, Falcone M, King C (2011) A Subset of Interleukin-21(+) Chemokine Receptor CCR9(+) T Helper Cells Target Accessory Organs of the Digestive System in Autoimmunity. Immunity 34 (4):602-615. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2011.01.021.
  • King C (2011) A Fine Romance: T Follicular Helper Cells and B Cells. Immunity 34 (6):827-829. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2011.06.007.
  • McGuire HM, Vogelzang A, Hill N, Flodstrom-Tullberg M, Sprent J, King C (2009) Loss of parity between IL-2 and IL-21 in the NOD Idd3 locus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106 (46):19438-19443.
  • King C (2009) New insights into the differentiation and function of T follicular helper cells. Nature Reviews Immunology 9 (11):757-766.
  • Vogelzang A, McGuire HM, Yu D, Sprent J, Mackay CR, King C (2008) A fundamental role for interleukin-21 in the generation of T follicular helper cells. Immunity 29 (1):127-137. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2008.06.001.
  • King C, Ilic A, Koelsch K, Sarvetnick N (2004) Homeostatic expansion of T cells during immune insufficiency generates autoimmunity. Cell 117 (2):265-277. doi:10.1016/ s0092-8674(04)00335-6.