Publications

2020 - Present

1. Herrmann T, Karunakaran MM. Phosphoantigen recognition by Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. Eur J Immunol. 2024 Aug 15:e2451068. doi: 10.1002/eji.202451068. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39148158.

2. Karunakaran MM* et al., A distinct topology of BTN3A IgV and B30.2 domains controlled by juxtamembrane regions favors optimal human γδ T cell phosphoantigen sensing. Nat Commun 2023 Nov 22;14(1):7617. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41938-8.PMID: 37993425 (First and *co-corresponding author).

3. Willcox CR, Salim M, Begley CR, Karunakaran MM et al., Phosphoantigen sensing combines TCR-dependent recognition of the BTN3A IgV domain and germline interaction with BTN2A1. Cell Rep. 2023 Mar 28;42(4):112321. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112321. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36995939.

4. Herrmann T, Karunakaran MM. Butyrophilins: γδ T Cell Receptor Ligands, Immunomodulators and More. Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 17;13:876493. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.876493.  PMID: 35371078

5. Herrmann T, Karunakaran MM et al., A glance over the fence: Using phylogeny and species comparison for a better understanding of antigen recognition by human γδ T-cells. Immunol Rev. 2020 Nov;298(1):218-236. doi: 10.1111/imr.12919. PMID: 32981055

6. Herrmann T, Fichtner AS, Karunakaran MM. An Update on the Molecular Basis of Phosphoantigen Recognition by Vγ9Vδ2 T Cells. Cells. 2020 Jun 9;9(6):1433. doi: 10.3390/cells9061433. PMID: 32527033

7. Fichtner AS, Karunakaran MM et al., Alpaca (Vicugna pacos), the first nonprimate species with a phosphoantigen-reactive Vγ9Vδ2 T cell subset. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Mar 24;117(12):6697-6707. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1909474117. PMID: 32139608

8. Karunakaran MM et al., Butyrophilin-2A1 Directly Binds Germline-Encoded Regions of the Vγ9Vδ2 TCR and Is Essential for Phosphoantigen Sensing. Immunity. 2020 Mar 17;52(3):487-498.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.02.014. Epub 2020 Mar 9. PMID: 32155411.

2014 - 2020

9. Fichtner AS, Karunakaran MM et al., The Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus): A Witness but Not a Functional Example for the Emergence of the Butyrophilin 3/Vγ9Vδ2 System in Placental Mammals. Front Immunol. 2018 Feb 23;9:265. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00265. eCollection 2018.PMID: 29527206

10. Mattarei A, Enzinger M, Gu S, Karunakaran MM et al., A Photo-Crosslinkable Biotin Derivative of the Phosphoantigen (E)-4-Hydroxy-3-Methylbut-2-Enyl Diphosphate (HMBPP) Activates Vγ9Vδ2 T Cells and Binds to the HMBPP Site of BTN3A1. Chemistry. 2017 Sep 4;23(49):11945-11954. doi: 10.1002/chem.201702650. Epub 2017 Aug 10. PMID: 28631855

11. Starick L, Riano F, Karunakaran MM et al., Butyrophilin 3A (BTN3A, CD277)-specific antibody 20.1 differentially activates Vγ9Vδ2 TCR clonotypes and interferes with phosphoantigen activation. Eur J Immunol. 2017 Jun;47(6):982-992. doi: 10.1002/eji.201646818. Epub 2017 Apr 27. PMID: 28386905

12. Karunakaran MM et al., The Vγ9Vδ2 T Cell Antigen Receptor and Butyrophilin-3 A1: Models of Interaction, the Possibility of Co-Evolution, and the Case of Dendritic Epidermal T Cells. Front Immunol. 2014 Dec 19;5:648. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00648. eCollection 2014. PMID: 25566259

13. Riaño F#, Karunakaran MM# et al., Vγ9Vδ2 TCR-activation by phosphorylated antigens requires butyrophilin 3 A1 (BTN3A1) and additional genes on human chromosome 6. Eur J Immunol. 2014 Sep;44(9):2571-6. doi: 10.1002/eji.201444712. Epub 2014 Jun 30. PMID: 24890657 (# equal contribution)

14. Karunakaran MM et al., Vγ9 and Vδ2 T cell antigen receptor genes and butyrophilin 3 (BTN3) emerged with placental mammals and are concomitantly preserved in selected species like alpaca (Vicugna pacos). Immunogenetics. 2014 Apr;66(4):243-54. doi: 10.1007/s00251-014-0763-8. Epub 2014 Feb 14. PMID: 2452634.