Rafael Tomoya Michita

Postdoctoral Associate

Email

Positions

Postdoctoral Associate: Medicine - Infectious Disease
Baylor College of Medicine

Professional Statement

I am a molecular biologist with extensive training in genetic association studies. My research focuses on studying the mechanisms of maternal-fetal immune tolerance. The long-term goals of my research agenda are to 1) elucidate how maternal immunological tolerance is achieved, 2) understand the effects of infections and the microbiome in this fine-tuned balance; and 3) identify biomarkers for pregnancy disorders and develop new methods and strategies with translational potential for clinical use. I have led research that has improved our understanding of immune tolerance and demonstrated a vital link in that i) immunoregulatory molecules are equally co-opted in pregnancy and solid organ transplantation, and ii) genetic variation in immunologically important genes is associated with tolerance disruption in pregnancy and transplantation. I have been involved in developing new models to assess the mechanisms of maternal tolerance and investigate the effects of pathological and commensal microorganisms. I am using cutting-edge techniques in my research, including functional genetic tools coupled with animal models, high-resolution microscopy, organ-on-chip, proteomics, as well as classical techniques for studying microorganisms. Recently, I discovered that placental cells infected with Zika virus elaborate long cellular structures termed tunneling nanotubes that facilitate the intracellular transfer of viral proteins and organelles between connected cells.

Selected Publications

Michita RT, Zambra FMB, Fraga LR, Sanseverino MTV, Callegari-Jacques SM, Vianna P, Chies JAB.. " A tug-of-war between tolerance and rejection - New evidence for 3'UTR HLA-G haplotypes influence in recurrent pregnancy loss. " Hum Immunol.. 2016 Oct ;
Pubmed PMID: 27397898.
Michita RT, Chies JAB, Schramm S, Horn PA, Heinemann FM, Wunsch A, Viebahn R, Schenker P, Rebmann V.. " A Valine Mismatch at Position 129 of MICA Is an Independent Predictor of Cytomegalovirus Infection and Acute Kidney Rejection in Simultaneous Pancreas⁻Kidney Transplantation Recipients. " Int J Mol Sci.. 2018 Sep ;
Pubmed PMID: 30181474.
Simon D, Michita RT, Béria JU, Tietzmann DC, Stein AT, Lunge VR.. " Alcohol misuse and illicit drug use are associated with HCV/HIV co-infection. " Epidemiol Infect.. 2014 Dec ;
Pubmed PMID: 24512701.
Rech TF, Mazzoleni LE, Mazzoleni F, Francesconi CFM, Sander GB, Michita RT, Nabinger DD, de Bona LR, Milbradt TC, Ott EA, Breyer HP, Haas GM, Canevese AP, Stifft J, Simo. " Analysis of the Influence of Interleukin-1β Gene Polymorphism on Gastric Inflammatory Response and Precancerous Lesions Development in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia " Immunol Invest. 2020 Jul ;
Pubmed PMID: 31909646.
Toson B, Michita RT, Matte MCT, Soares R, Lawisch GKS, Mattevi VS, Chies JAB.. " Assessment of NKG2C copy number variation in HIV-1 infection susceptibility, and considerations about the potential role of lacking receptors and virus infection. " J Hum Genet. 2022 Aug ; 8 (67) : 475-479.
Pubmed PMID: 35314764.
Marangon CG, de Bitencorte JT, Michita RT, Lunge VR, Dos Santos DC, Álvares-da-Silva MR, Simon D.. " Association between MICA rs2596542 Polymorphism with the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients. " Pathol Oncol Res.. 2020 Jul ;
Pubmed PMID: 31471884.
Müller TE, Ellwanger JH, Michita RT, Matte MCC, Renner JDP.. " CYP2B6 516 G>T polymorphism and side effects of the central nervous system in HIV-positive individuals under Efavirenz treatment: Study of a sample from southern Brazil. " An Acad Bras Cienc.. 2017 May ;
Pubmed PMID: 28492729.
Michita RT, Kaminski VL, Chies JAB.. " Genetic Variants in Preeclampsia: Lessons From Studies in Latin-American Populations. " Front Physiol.. 2018 ;
Pubmed PMID: 30618791.
Wagner B, Dührsen U, Hüttmann A, Nückel H, Michita RT, Rohn H, Schramm S, Horn PA, Rebmann V.. " Genetic Variants of the NKG2C/HLA-E Receptor-Ligand Axis Are Determinants of Progression-Free Survival and Therapy Outcome in Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma. " Cancers. 2020 Nov ;
Pubmed PMID: 33218185.
Michita RT, Mysorekar IU. " Golden Syrian Hamsters as a Model for Revisiting the Role of Biological Sex Differences in SARS-CoV-2 Infection " mBio. 2021 Dec ;
Pubmed PMID: 34809458.
Rech TF, Mazzoleni LE, Mazzoleni F, Francesconi CFM, Sander GB, Michita RT, Nabinger DD, Milbradt TC, Torresini RJS, Simon D.. " Helicobacter pylori eradication: influence of interleukin-1beta -31 C/T polymorphism. " Braz J Infect Dis. 2018 Jul ;
Pubmed PMID: 30048609.
Rohn H, Michita RT, Schramm S, Dolff S, Gäckler A, Korth J, Heinemann FM, Wilde B, Trilling M, Horn PA, Kribben A, Witzke O, Rebmann V.. " HLA-E Polymorphism Determines Susceptibility to BK Virus Nephropathy after Living-Donor Kidney Transplant. " Cells. 2019 Aug ;
Pubmed PMID: 31394776.
Rohn H, Schwich E, Tomoya Michita R, Schramm S, Dolff S, Gäckler A, Korth J, Heinemann FM, Wilde B, Trilling M, Horn PA, Kribben A, Witzke O, Rebmann V. " HLA-G 3' untranslated region gene variants are promising prognostic factors for BK polyomavirus replication and acute rejection after living-donor kidney transplant. " Hum Immunol.. 2020 Apr ;
Pubmed PMID: 31679637.
Schwich E, Rebmann V, Michita RT, Rohn H, Voncken JW, Horn PA, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S, Buderath P.. " HLA-G 3' untranslated region variants +3187G/G, +3196G/G and +3035T define diametrical clinical status and disease outcome in epithelial ovarian cancer. " Sci Rep.. 2019 Apr ;
Pubmed PMID: 30932005.
Ellwanger JH, Kulmann-Leal B, Wolf JM, Michita RT, Simon D, Lunge VR, Chies JAB.. " Role of the genetic variant CCR5Δ32 in HBV infection and HBV/HIV co-infection. " Virus Res.. 2020 Feb ;
Pubmed PMID: 31837381.
Guberina H, da Silva Nardi F, Michita RT, Dolff S, Bienholz A, Heinemann FM, Wilde B, Trilling M, Horn PA, Kribben A, Witzke O, Rebmann V. " Susceptibility of HLA-E*01:03 Allele Carriers to Develop Cytomegalovirus Replication After Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation. " J Infect Dis.. 2018 May ;
Pubmed PMID: 29228302.
Rebmann V, Schwich E, Michita RT, Grüntkemeier L, Bittner AK, Rohn H, Horn PA, Hoffmann O, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S.. " Systematic Evaluation of HLA-G 3'Untranslated Region Variants in Locally Advanced, Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: UTR-1, 2 or UTR-4 are Predictors for Therapy and Disease Outcome. " Front Immunol.. 2021 ;
Pubmed PMID: 35095919.
Jacovas VC, Michita RT, Bisso-Machado R, Reales G, Tarazona-Santos EM, Sandoval JR, Salazar-Granara A, Chies JAB, Bortolini MC.. " HLA-G 3'UTR haplotype frequencies in highland and lowland South Native American populations. " Hum Immunol.. 2022 Jan ; (83) : 27-38.
Pubmed PMID: 34563386.
Guberina H, Tomoya Michita R, Dolff S, Bienholz A, Trilling M, Heinemann FM, Horn PA, Kribben A, Witzke O, Rebmann V.. " Recipient HLA-G +3142 CC Genotype and Concentrations of Soluble HLA-G Impact on Occurrence of CMV Infection after Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation. " Int J Mol Sci.. 2017 Nov ;
Pubmed PMID: 29113092.
Rohn H, Tomoya Michita R, Schwich E, Dolff S, Gäckler A, Trilling M, Le-Trilling VTK, Wilde B, Korth J, Heinemann FM, Horn PA, Kribben A, Witzke O, Rebmann V. " The Donor Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Chain-Related Molecule A Allele rs2596538 G Predicts Cytomegalovirus Viremia in Kidney Transplant Recipients. " Front Immunol.. 2018 ;
Pubmed PMID: 29867932.
Michita RT, Zambra FMB, Fraga LR, Sanseverino MT, Schuler-Faccini L, Chies JAB, Vianna P. " The role of FAS, FAS-L, BAX, and BCL-2 gene polymorphisms in determining susceptibility to unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. " J Assist Reprod Genet.. 2019 May ;
Pubmed PMID: 30937706.

Memberships

Texas Developmental Center for AIDS research (TX D CFAR): Member (06/2022)

The American Society for Reproductive Immunology: Member (03/2022)

Society for Reproductive Investigation: Member (05/2022)

National Postdoctoral Association: Member (12/2021)

Languages

Portuguese, Spanish, German