Programs > Fellowships > Fellows > June 2009 > Javier Gordon Ogembo

Javier Gordon Ogembo, Ph.D.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, MA

Project Title: Characterization of the littoral cell of human spleen and identification of its role in health and disease(s)
Sponsor: Joyce D. Fingeroth, MD

The spleen is the largest immune system organ in the human body.  It functions as a filter that rids the body of many harmful pathogens, aging red blood cells, and other abnormal cells such as cancer cells.  Individuals that lack spleens are greatly compromised in their ability to combat many types of infections and have a greater risk of dying from overwhelming disease. 

Dr. Ogembo will begin to uncover the function(s) of a major, though little-characterized cell found in the human spleen, known as the sinus lining cell or littoral cell.  He will examine the shape, organization, and content of these cells in normal human spleen compared with spleen from patients with parasite infections, such as malaria, where the cells may be particularly important in preventing spread to other organs.  He also will attempt to purify these cells and analyze their pattern of gene expression in comparison with other types of cells that may have related immune functions.  His investigations of the mechanisms that underlie the ability of littoral cells to clear harmful pathogens and altered cells, including tumor cells, could produce key insights into how the spleen functions in immune control of infection and cancer.

What is the importance of the spleen?

The spleen is one of the major immune system organs in the body. It is possible for people to live without a spleen, but contracting a disease or infection has a more profound effect on them.  Without a spleen then our immune system efficacy and T-cell availability is highly reduced.  Any type of cancer cell then has a higher risk of growing or metastasizing to other parts of the body.

Why is the littoral cell singled out?

Littoral cells are only found within the spleen, and we believe that they function in filtration and detection of antigens.  We think that the littoral cells find intruding cells and then send out a signal for them to be destroyed.  We also believe that littoral cells are important because of the sheer number of them that are found in the spleen.  If they didn’t have a significant immunological function, we probably wouldn’t be seeing such a concentration of them.  Another unique littoral cell feature is that they express the CD8 T-cell antigen. This is very important because T-cells use CD8 to kill the cells that are unwanted.  This CD8 expression is another clue that littoral cells have significant immunological functions.  To understand the real functions of these cells, we want to go into the biology, and look at the shapes of the cells, the characteristics, the antigens that they express, and where they are located in the spleen.

How did you become interested in immunology research?

My interests have been looking at how a virus conquers a cell. This interest turned into exploring how the immune system fights a virus, despite the virus being so efficient in manipulating the immune system.  Now I focus more on the immune system rather than the virus infection process.

Could you tell us a little bit about your personal background?

My hobby is traveling. I’ve traveled across the globe—across Africa, across Europe, across Asia, and now I’m in America. I’ve had several opportunities to study in different countries: I did my undergrad in my native country Kenya, I did my masters in the United Kingdom, and I did my Ph.D. in Japan. I am also very much aware and interested in contemporary information like politics, though I don’t consider myself a politician.