Department of Pediatrics

Clinical Interests

Anthony R. French received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His graduate work was with Dr. Douglas Lauffenburger studying receptor-mediated endocytosis and intracellular sorting. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and his fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. His clinical interests include juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile dermatomyositis, vasculitis, and pediatric SLE. His research is focused on the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the early innate immune response and is motivated by the hypothesis that a clearer understanding of in vivo NK cell responses and homeostasis may lead to novel therapeutic interventions in autoimmune diseases.

Education

• BS, University of Minnesota, 1989
• MSc, University of Illinois, 1993
• PhD, University of Illinois, 1995
• MD, University of Illinois, 1997

Training

• Residency, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, 1997 - 2000
• Fellow, Pediatric Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, 2000 - 2003

Licensure and Board Certification

• American Board of Pediatrics , 2000
• MO, Physician and Surgeon , 2003
• Pediatric Rheumatology , 2004

Honors

• Procter and Gamble Fellowship, 1990 - 1991
• Chevron Fellowship, 1991 - 1992
• Alpha Omega Alpha, 1996
• Lange Medical Pub. Award for Outstanding Performance in Medical School, 1997
• Ross Award for Excellence in Pediatrics, 1997
• Yardy Award for Excellence in Family Medicine, 1997
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Faculty Development Award, 2002 - 2005
• Scholar, Child Health Research Center of Excellence, Washington Univ, 2006 - 2008
• Basil O'Connor Scholar Award, March of Dimes, 2007 - 2009
• Elected to Society of Pediatric Research, 2010
• Elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation, 2014

Recent Publications view all (49)

Publication Co-Authors

Megan A. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D.

David A. Hunstad, M.D.

Andrew J. White, M.D.

Maleewan Kitcharoensakkul, M.D.

Jane M. Garbutt, M.D.

Kevin Baszis, M.D.

Washington University has a long tradition of collaboration amongst colleagues.The faculty above have co-authored publications with Anthony R. French, M.D., Ph.D.

1. Chapa TJ, Du Y, Sun R, Yu D, French AR. Proteomic and phylogenetic coevolution analyses of pM79 and pM92 identify interactions with RNA polymerase II and delineate the murine cytomegalovirus late transcription complex. J Gen Virol. 2017;98(2):242-250. PMID:27926822 
2. Arefanian S, Schäll D, Chang S, Ghasemi R, Higashikubo R, Zheleznyak A, Guo Y, Yu J, Asgharian H, Li W, Gelman AE, Kreisel D, French AR, Zaher H, Plougastel-Douglas B, Maggi L, Yokoyama W, Beer-Hammer S, Krupnick AS. Deficiency of the adaptor protein SLy1 results in a natural killer cell ribosomopathy affecting tumor clearance. Oncoimmunology. 2016;5(12):e1238543. PMCID:PMC5215235  PMID:28123874 
3. Fotis L, Baszis KW, White AJ, and French AR. Four cases of anti-PM/Scl antibody positive juvenile overlap syndrome with features of myositis and systemic sclerosis. J Rheum. 2016. PMID:27587018 
4. Fotis L, Baszis KW, French AR, Cooper MA, White AJ. Mesenteric vasculitis in children with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Rheumatol. 2016;35(3):785-93. PMID:25687984 
5. Sun L, Miyoshi H, Origanti S, Nice TJ, Barger AC, Manieri NA, Fogel LA, French AR, Piwnica-Worms D, Piwnica-Worms H, Virgin HW, Lenschow DJ, Stappenbeck TS. Type I interferons link viral infection to enhanced epithelial turnover and repair. Cell Host Microbe. 2015;17(1):85-97. doi:10.1016/j.chom.2014.11.004  PMCID:PMC4297260  PMID:25482432 
6. Tarbox JA, Keppel MP, Topcagic N, Mackin C, Ben Abdallah M, Baszis KW, White AJ, French AR, Cooper MA. Elevated double negative T cells in pediatric autoimmunity. J Clin Immunol. 2014;34(5):594-9. doi:10.1007/s10875-014-0038-z  PMCID:PMC4047151  PMID:24760111 
7. Chapa TJ, Perng YC, French AR, Yu D. Murine cytomegalovirus protein pM92 is a conserved regulator of viral late gene expression. J Virol. 2014;88(1):131-42. doi:10.1128/JVI.02684-13  PMCID:PMC3911726  PMID:24131717 
8. Sullivan RP, Fogel LA, Leong JW, Schneider SE, Wong R, Romee R, Thai TH, Sexl V, Matkovich SJ, Dorn GW 2nd, French AR, Fehniger TA. MicroRNA-155 tunes both the threshold and extent of NK cell activation via targeting of multiple signaling pathways. J Immunol. 2013;191(12):5904-13. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1301950  PMCID:PMC3863634  PMID:24227772 
9. Lim E, Tao Y, White AJ, French AR, Cooper MA. Hypogammaglobulinemia in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus. 2013;22(13):1382-7. doi:10.1177/0961203313507990  PMCID:PMC3840537  PMID:24106215 
10. Fogel LA, Sun MM, Geurs TL, Carayannopoulos LN, French AR. Markers of nonselective and specific NK cell activation. J Immunol. 2013;190(12):6269-76. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1202533  PMCID:PMC3679313  PMID:23656738 
11. Ornstein BW, Hill EB, Geurs TL, French AR. Natural killer cell functional defects in pediatric patients with severe and recurrent herpesvirus infections. J Infect Dis. 2013;207(3):458-68. doi:10.1093/infdis/jis701  PMCID:PMC3693586  PMID:23175766 
12. Sauer K, Park E, Siegemund S, French AR, Wahle JA, Sternberg L, Rigaud S, Jonsson AH, Yokoyama WM, Huang YH. Inositol tetrakisphosphate limits NK cell effector functions by controlling PI3K signaling. Blood. 2013;121(2):286-97. doi:10.1182/blood-2012-05-429241  PMCID:PMC3544114  PMID:23175687 
13. Zhao YM, French AR. Mechanistic model of natural killer cell proliferative response to IL-15 receptor stimulation. PLoS Comput Biol. 2013;9(9):e1003222. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003222  PMCID:PMC3772054  PMID:24068905 
14. Mon T, L'ecuyer S, Farber NB, White AJ, Baszis KW, Hearn JK, Spiegel TE, French AR, Kitcharoensakkul M. The use of electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus and catatonia. Lupus. 2012;21(14):1575-81. doi:10.1177/0961203312464803  PMID:23161578 
15. Geurs TL, Hill EB, Lippold DM, French AR. Sex differences in murine susceptibility to systemic viral infections. J Autoimmun. 2012;38(2-3):J245-53. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2011.12.003  PMCID:PMC3313007  PMID:22209097 
16. Zhao YM, French AR. Two-compartment model of NK cell proliferation: insights from population response to IL-15 stimulation. J Immunol. 2012;188(7):2981-90. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1102989  PMCID:PMC3311749  PMID:22379026 
17. Sullivan RP, Leong JW, Schneider SE, Keppel CR, Germino E, French AR, Fehniger TA. MicroRNA-deficient NK cells exhibit decreased survival but enhanced function. J Immunol. 2012;188(7):3019-30. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1102294  PMCID:PMC3311726  PMID:22379033 
18. Hwang I, Scott JM, Kakarla T, Duriancik DM, Choi S, Cho C, Lee T, Park H, French AR, Beli E, Gardner E, Kim S. Activation mechanisms of natural killer cells during influenza virus infection. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51858. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0051858  PMCID:PMC3534084  PMID:23300570 
19. Baszis K, Toib D, Cooper M, French A, White A. Recurrent parotitis as a presentation of primary pediatric Sjögren syndrome. Pediatrics. 2012;129(1):e179-82. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-0716  PMID:22184654 
20. Baszis K, Garbutt J, Toib D, Mao J, King A, White A, French A. Clinical outcomes after withdrawal of anti-tumor necrosis factor α therapy in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a twelve-year experience. Arthritis Rheum. 2011;63(10):3163-8. doi:10.1002/art.30502  PMID:21702011 
21. Campbell JA, Davis RS, Lilly LM, Fremont DH, French AR, Carayannopoulos LN. Cutting edge: FcR-like 5 on innate B cells is targeted by a poxvirus MHC class I-like immunoevasin. J Immunol. 2010;185(1):28-32. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1000240  PMCID:PMC3321838  PMID:20519648 
22. Geurs TL, Zhao YM, Hill EB, French AR. Ly49H engagement compensates for the absence of type I interferon signaling in stimulating NK cell proliferation during murine cytomegalovirus infection. J Immunol. 2009;183(9):5830-6. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0901520  PMCID:PMC2765556  PMID:19828630 
23. Cai SF, Fehniger TA, Cao X, Mayer JC, Brune JD, French AR, Ley TJ. Differential expression of granzyme B and C in murine cytotoxic lymphocytes. J Immunol. 2009;182(10):6287-97. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0804333  PMCID:PMC2714542  PMID:19414782 
24. Cheng TP, French AR, Plougastel BF, Pingel JT, Orihuela MM, Buller ML, Yokoyama WM. Ly49h is necessary for genetic resistance to murine cytomegalovirus. Immunogenetics. 2008;60(10):565-73. doi:10.1007/s00251-008-0313-3  PMCID:PMC2730736  PMID:18668236 
25. Kim S, Sunwoo JB, Yang L, Choi T, Song YJ, French AR, Vlahiotis A, Piccirillo JF, Cella M, Colonna M, Mohanakumar T, Hsu KC, Dupont B, Yokoyama WM. HLA alleles determine differences in human natural killer cell responsiveness and potency. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008;105(8):3053-8. doi:10.1073/pnas.0712229105  PMCID:PMC2268583  PMID:18287063 
26. French AR, Kim S, Fehniger TA, Pratt JR, Yang L, Song YJ, Caligiuri MA, Yokoyama WM. Chronic lymphocytosis of functionally immature natural killer cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007;120(4):924-31. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2007.05.022  PMID:17604094 
27. Cooper MA, Willingham DL, Brown DE, French AR, Shih FF, White AJ. Rituximab for the treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis: a report of four pediatric patients. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56(9):3107-11. doi:10.1002/art.22856  PMID:17763414 
28. Fehniger TA, Cai SF, Cao X, Bredemeyer AJ, Presti RM, French AR, Ley TJ. Acquisition of murine NK cell cytotoxicity requires the translation of a pre-existing pool of granzyme B and perforin mRNAs. Immunity. 2007;26(6):798-811. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2007.04.010  PMID:17540585 
29. Hunstad DA, French AR. Histoplasmosis in a child with JRA on low-dose methotrexate. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007;46(1):177-8. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kel375  PMID:17114804 
30. French AR, Sjölin H, Kim S, Koka R, Yang L, Young DA, Cerboni C, Tomasello E, Ma A, Vivier E, Kärre K, Yokoyama WM. DAP12 signaling directly augments proproliferative cytokine stimulation of NK cells during viral infections. J Immunol. 2006;177(8):4981-90. PMID:17015680 
31. French AR, Holroyd EB, Yang L, Kim S, Yokoyama WM. IL-18 acts synergistically with IL-15 in stimulating natural killer cell proliferation. Cytokine. 2006;35(5-6):229-34. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2006.08.006  PMID:17052916 
32. Kim S, Song YJ, Higuchi DA, Kang HP, Pratt JR, Yang L, Hong CM, Poursine-Laurent J, Iizuka K, French AR, Sunwoo JB, Ishii S, Reimold AM, Yokoyama WM. Arrested natural killer cell development associated with transgene insertion into the Atf2 locus. Blood. 2006;107(3):1024-30. doi:10.1182/blood-2005-04-1493  PMCID:PMC1458371  PMID:16223777 
33. Kim S, Poursine-Laurent J, Truscott SM, Lybarger L, Song YJ, Yang L, French AR, Sunwoo JB, Lemieux S, Hansen TH, Yokoyama WM. Licensing of natural killer cells by host major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Nature. 2005;436(7051):709-13. doi:10.1038/nature03847  PMID:16079848 
34. Banks TA, Rickert S, Benedict CA, Ma L, Ko M, Meier J, Ha W, Schneider K, Granger SW, Turovskaya O, Elewaut D, Otero D, French AR, Henry SC, Hamilton JD, Scheu S, Pfeffer K, Ware CF. A lymphotoxin-IFN-beta axis essential for lymphocyte survival revealed during cytomegalovirus infection. J Immunol. 2005;174(11):7217-25. PMID:15905567 
35. French AR, Pingel JT, Kim S, Yang L, Yokoyama WM. Rapid emergence of escape mutants following infection with murine cytomegalovirus in immunodeficient mice. Clin Immunol. 2005;115(1):61-9. doi:10.1016/j.clim.2005.02.008  PMID:15870022 
36. Krug A, French AR, Barchet W, Fischer JA, Dzionek A, Pingel JT, Orihuela MM, Akira S, Yokoyama WM, Colonna M. TLR9-dependent recognition of MCMV by IPC and DC generates coordinated cytokine responses that activate antiviral NK cell function. Immunity. 2004;21(1):107-19. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2004.06.007  PMID:15345224 
37. French AR, Pingel JT, Wagner M, Bubic I, Yang L, Kim S, Koszinowski U, Jonjic S, Yokoyama WM. Escape of mutant double-stranded DNA virus from innate immune control. Immunity. 2004;20(6):747-56. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2004.05.006  PMID:15189739 
38. Dorner BG, Smith HR, French AR, Kim S, Poursine-Laurent J, Beckman DL, Pingel JT, Kroczek RA, Yokoyama WM. Coordinate expression of cytokines and chemokines by NK cells during murine cytomegalovirus infection. J Immunol. 2004;172(5):3119-31. PMID:14978118 
39. Kim S, Iizuka K, Kang HS, Dokun A, French AR, Greco S, Yokoyama WM. In vivo developmental stages in murine natural killer cell maturation. Nat Immunol. 2002;3(6):523-8. doi:10.1038/ni796  PMID:12006976 
40. French AR, Mason T, Nelson AM, Crowson CS, O'Fallon WM, Khosla S, Gabriel SE. Osteopenia in adults with a history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. A population based study. J Rheumatol. 2002;29(5):1065-70. PMID:12022324 
41. French AR, Mason T, Nelson AM, O'Fallon WM, Gabriel SE. Increased mortality in adults with a history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study. Arthritis Rheum. 2001;44(3):523-7. doi:10.1002/1529-0131(200103)44:3<523::AID-ANR99>3.0.CO;2-1  PMID:11263765 
42. French AR, Lauffenburger DA. Controlling receptor/ligand trafficking: effects of cellular and molecular properties on endosomal sorting. Ann Biomed Eng. 1997;25(4):690-707. PMID:9236981 
43. Lauffenburger DA, Chu L, French A, Oehrtman G, Reddy C, Wells A, Niyogi S, Wiley HS. Engineering dynamics of growth factors and other therapeutic ligands. Biotechnol Bioeng. 1996;52(1):61-80. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19961005)52:1<61::AID-BIT6>3.0.CO;2-X  PMID:18629852 
44. French AR, Lauffenburger DA. Intracellular receptor/ligand sorting based on endosomal retention components. Biotechnol Bioeng. 1996;51(3):281-97. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19960805)51:3<281::AID-BIT4>3.0.CO;2-9  PMID:18624361 
45. French AR, Tadaki DK, Niyogi SK, Lauffenburger DA. Intracellular trafficking of epidermal growth factor family ligands is directly influenced by the pH sensitivity of the receptor/ligand interaction. J Biol Chem. 1995;270(9):4334-40. PMID:7876195 
46. French AR, Sudlow GP, Wiley HS, Lauffenburger DA. Postendocytic trafficking of epidermal growth factor-receptor complexes is mediated through saturable and specific endosomal interactions. J Biol Chem. 1994;269(22):15749-55. PMID:8195228 
47. Ajtai K, French AR, Burghardt TP. Myosin cross-bridge orientation in rigor and in the presence of nucleotide studied by electron spin resonance. Biophys J. 1989;56(3):535-41. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(89)82700-6  PMCID:PMC1280506  PMID:2551407 
48. Burghardt TP, French AR. Reconstruction of the probe angular distribution from a series of electron spin resonance spectra of tilted oriented samples. Biophys J. 1989;56(3):525-34. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(89)82699-2  PMCID:PMC1280505  PMID:2551406 
49. Fotis L, Shaikh N, Baszis KW, Samson CM, Lev-TZion R, French AR, Tarr PI. Serologic Evidence of Gut-driven Systemic Inflammation in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis J Rheum 2017; in press.