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Photo of  Michael T. Borchers, PhD

Michael T. Borchers, PhD

Professor

Internal Medicine | College of Medicine

Education/Credentials
  • Postdoctoral Fellow: Mayo Clinic (Immunology)
  • Doctoral Degree: University of Cincinnati (Toxicology)
  • Bachelor's Degree: University of Cincinnati (Biology)
Contact Information
Research Interests

My research focuses on immune function in chronic pulmonary diseases.  Our laboratory examines local immune function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and in mouse models of COPD. Specifically, we are interested in the role of natural killer cells, T cells, dendritic cells and macrophage in the response to viral and bacterial exacerbations in this disease.  In addition, we study immune function in two rare chronic lung diseases, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), and pulmonar...

Peer Reviewed Publications

Choi, Woosuk; Choe, Shawn; Lin, Jingjun; Borchers, Michael T; Kosmider, Beata; Vassallo, Robert; Limper, Andrew H; Lau, Gee W 2020. Exendin-4 restores airway mucus homeostasis through the GLP1R-PKA-PPAR?-FOXA2-phosphatase signaling. Mucosal immunology, 13 4, 637-651

Knoell, Daren L; Smith, Deandra; Bao, Shengying; Sapkota, Muna; Wyatt, Todd A; Zweier, Jay L; Flury, Jennifer; Borchers, Michael T; Knutson, Mitch 2020. Imbalance in zinc homeostasis enhances lung Tissue Loss following cigarette smoke exposure. Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), 60 , 126483

Liu, Huan; Osterburg, Andrew R; Flury, Jennifer; Swank, Zulma; McGraw, Dennis W; Gupta, Nishant; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Kathryn A; Kumar, Ashish; Tazi, Abdellatif; Inoue, Yoshikazu; Hirose, Masaki; McCormack, Francis X; Borchers, Michael T 2020. MAPK mutations and cigarette smoke promote the pathogenesis of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. JCI insight, 5 4,

Ochayon, David E; Ali, Ayad; Alarcon, Pablo C; Krishnamurthy, Durga; Kottyan, Leah C; Borchers, Michael T; Waggoner, Stephen N 2020. IL-33 promotes type 1 cytokine expression via p38 MAPK in human NK cells. Journal of leukocyte biology, 107 4, 663-671

Osterburg, Andrew R; Lach, Laura; Panos, Ralph J; Borchers, Michael T 2020. Unique natural killer cell subpopulations are associated with exacerbation risk in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Scientific reports, 10 1, 1238

Rajaram, Sanjeeth; Canaday, Laura M; Ochayon, David E; Rangel, Kelly M; Ali, Ayad; Gyurova, Ivayla E; Krishnamurthy, Durga; Fletcher, Jonathan S; Reighard, Seth D; Cox, Andrew; Weirauch, Matthew T; Kottyan, Leah C; Deshmukh, Hitesh; Zacharias, William J; Borchers, Michael T; Waggoner, Stephen N 2020. The Promise and Peril of Natural Killer Cell Therapies in Pulmonary Infection. Immunity, 52 6, 887-889

Shaw, Brian; Borchers, Michael; Zander, Dani; Gupta, Nishant 2020. Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine, 41 2, 269-279

Suzuki, Takuji; McCarthy, Cormac; Carey, Brenna C; Borchers, Michael; Beck, David; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Kathryn A; Black, Dianna; Chalk, Claudia; Trapnell, Bruce C 2020. Increased Pulmonary GM-CSF Causes Alveolar Macrophage Accumulation. Mechanistic Implications for Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonitis. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 62 1, 87-94

Wellmerling, Jack H; Chang, Sheng-Wei; Kim, Eunsoo; Osman, Wissam H; Boyaka, Prosper N; Borchers, Michael T; Cormet-Boyaka, Estelle 2019. Reduced expression of the Ion channel CFTR contributes to airspace enlargement as a consequence of aging and in response to cigarette smoke in mice. Respiratory research, 20 1, 200

Liu, Huan; Osterburg, Andrew R; Flury, Jennifer; Huang, Shuo; McCormack, Francis X; Cormier, Stephania A; Borchers, Michael T 2018. NKG2D is Required for Regulation of Lung Pathology and Dendritic Cell Function Following RSV Infection. The Journal of infectious diseases, ,

Osterburg, Andrew R; Lach, Laura; Panos, Ralph J; Borchers, Michael T 2018. Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cell Phenotypes Associated with Exacerbation Risk in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 15 Supplement_4, S288-S289

Li, Chenggang; Liu, Xiaolei; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Erik; Medepalli, Kantha; Masuda, Kouhei; Li, Na; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Kathryn A; Osterburg, Andrew; Borchers, Michael T; Kopras, Elizabeth J; Plas, David R; Sun, Julia; Franz, David N; Capal, Jamie K; Mays, Maxwell; Sun, Yang; Kwiatkowski, David J; Alayev, Anya; Holz, Marina K; Krueger, Darcy A; Siroky, Brian J; Yu, Jane J 2017. Tuberin Regulates Prostaglandin Receptor-Mediated Viability, via Rheb, in mTORC1-Hyperactive Cells. Molecular cancer research : MCR, 15 10, 1318-1330

Liu, Huan; Jakubzick, Claudia; Osterburg, Andrew R; Nelson, Rebecca L; Gupta, Nishant; McCormack, Francis X; Borchers, Michael T 2017. Dendritic Cell Trafficking and Function in Rare Lung Diseases. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, ,

Osterburg, Andrew R; Nelson, Rebecca L; Yaniv, Benyamin Z; Foot, Rachel; Donica, Walter R F; Nashu, Madison A; Liu, Huan; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Kathryn A; Moss, Joel; Gupta, Nishant; McCormack, Francis X; Borchers, Michael T 2016. NK cell activating receptor ligand expression in lymphangioleiomyomatosis is associated with lung function decline. JCI insight, 1 16, e87270

Wortham, Brian W; Eppert, Bryan L; Flury, Jennifer L; Garcia, Sara Morgado; Donica, Walter R; Osterburg, Andrew; Joyce-Shaikh, Barbara; Cua, Daniel J; Borchers, Michael T 2016. Cutting Edge: CLEC5A Mediates Macrophage Function and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Pathologies. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 196 8, 3227-31

Borchers, Michael T; Kratzer, Adelheid; Taraseviciene-Stewart, Laimute 2014. Second hand smoke and COPD: lessons from animal studies. Frontiers in physiology, 5 , 144

Hassett, Daniel J; Borchers, Michael T; Panos, Ralph J 2014. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): evaluation from clinical, immunological and bacterial pathogenesis perspectives. Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea), 52 3, 211-26

Eppert, Bryan L; Wortham, Brian W; Flury, Jennifer L; Borchers, Michael T 2013. Functional characterization of T cell populations in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 190 3, 1331-40

Wortham, Brian W; Eppert, Bryan L; Flury, Jennifer L; Morgado Garcia, Sara; Borchers, Michael T 2013. TLR and NKG2D signaling pathways mediate CS-induced pulmonary pathologies. PloS one, 8 10, e78735

Wortham, Brian W; Eppert, Bryan L; Motz, Greg T; Flury, Jennifer L; Orozco-Levi, Mauricio; Hoebe, Kasper; Panos, Ralph J; Maxfield, Melissa; Glasser, Stephan W; Senft, Albert P; Raulet, David H; Borchers, Michael T 2012. NKG2D mediates NK cell hyperresponsiveness and influenza-induced pathologies in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 188 9, 4468-75

Eppert, Bryan L; Motz, Gregory T; Wortham, Brian W; Flury, Jennifer L; Borchers, Michael T 2010. CCR7 deficiency leads to leukocyte activation and increased clearance in response to pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Infection and immunity, 78 5, 2099-107

Motz, Gregory T; Eppert, Bryan L; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Flury, Jennifer L; Borchers, Michael T 2010. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure generates pathogenic T cells capable of driving COPD-like disease in Rag2-/- mice. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 181 11, 1223-33

Motz, Gregory T; Eppert, Bryan L; Wortham, Brian W; Amos-Kroohs, Robyn M; Flury, Jennifer L; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Borchers, Michael T 2010. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure primes NK cell activation in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 184 8, 4460-9

Borchers, Michael T; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Curull, Victor; Ramirez-Sarmiento, Alba; Sánchez-Font, Albert; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Coronell, Carlos; Lloreta, Josep; Agusti, Alvar G; Gea, Joaquim; Howington, John A; Reed, Michael F; Starnes, Sandra L; Harris, Nathaniel L; Vitucci, Mark; Eppert, Bryan L; Motz, Gregory T; Fogel, Kevin; McGraw, Dennis W; Tichelaar, Jay W; Orozco-Levi, Mauricio 2009. Sustained CTL activation by murine pulmonary epithelial cells promotes the development of COPD-like disease. The Journal of clinical investigation, 119 3, 636-49

Borchers, Michael T; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Deshmukh, Hitesh; Beckman, Erin; Medvedovic, Mario; Sartor, Maureen; Leikauf, George D 2009. The role of T cells in the regulation of acrolein-induced pulmonary inflammation and epithelial-cell pathology. Research report (Health Effects Institute), 146, 5-29

Caldwell, Charles C; Chen, Yi; Goetzmann, Holly S; Hao, Yonghua; Borchers, Michael T; Hassett, Daniel J; Young, Lisa R; Mavrodi, Dmitri; Thomashow, Linda; Lau, Gee W 2009. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin pyocyanin causes cystic fibrosis airway pathogenesis. The American journal of pathology, 175 6, 2473-88

Deshmukh, Hitesh S; McLachlan, Anne; Atkinson, Jeffrey J; Hardie, William D; Korfhagen, Thomas R; Dietsch, Maggie; Liu, Yang; Di, Peter Y P; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Borchers, Michael T; Leikauf, George D 2009. Matrix metalloproteinase-14 mediates a phenotypic shift in the airways to increase mucin production. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 180 9, 834-45

Borchers, Michael T; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Eppert, Bryan L; Motz, Gregory T; Sartor, Maureen A; Tomlinson, Craig R; Medvedovic, Mario; Tichelaar, Jay W 2008. Nonredundant functions of alphabeta and gammadelta T cells in acrolein-induced pulmonary pathology. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology, 105 1, 188-99

Deshmukh, Hitesh S; Shaver, Colleen; Case, Lisa M; Dietsch, Maggie; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Hardie, William D; Korfhagen, Thomas R; Corradi, Massimo; Nadel, Jay A; Borchers, Michael T; Leikauf, George D 2008. Acrolein-activated matrix metalloproteinase 9 contributes to persistent mucin production. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 38 4, 446-54

Motz, Gregory T; Eppert, Bryan L; Sun, Guangyun; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Linke, Michael J; Deka, Ranjan; Borchers, Michael T 2008. Persistence of lung CD8 T cell oligoclonal expansions upon smoking cessation in a mouse model of cigarette smoke-induced emphysema. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 181 11, 8036-43

Wesselkamper, Scott C; Eppert, Bryan L; Motz, Gregory T; Lau, Gee W; Hassett, Daniel J; Borchers, Michael T 2008. NKG2D is critical for NK cell activation in host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infection. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 181 8, 5481-9

Borchers, Michael T; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Harris, Nathaniel L; Deshmukh, Hitesh; Beckman, Erin; Vitucci, Mark; Tichelaar, Jay W; Leikauf, George D 2007. CD8+ T cells contribute to macrophage accumulation and airspace enlargement following repeated irritant exposure. Experimental and molecular pathology, 83 3, 301-10

Borchers, Michael T; Harris, Nathaniel L; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Vitucci, Mark; Cosman, David 2006. NKG2D ligands are expressed on stressed human airway epithelial cells. American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology, 291 2, L222-31

Borchers, Michael T; Harris, Nathaniel L; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Zhang, Shiping; Chen, Yi; Young, Lisa; Lau, Gee W 2006. The NKG2D-activating receptor mediates pulmonary clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infection and immunity, 74 5, 2578-86

McLachlan, Anne; Borchers, Michael; Velayutham, Prakash; Wagner, Michael; Limbach, Patrick A 2006. Characterizing the reproducibility of a protein profiling method for the analysis of mouse bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Journal of proteome research, 5 11, 3059-65

Wesselkamper, Scott C; McDowell, Susan A; Medvedovic, Mario; Dalton, Timothy P; Deshmukh, Hitesh S; Sartor, Maureen A; Case, Lisa M; Henning, Lisa N; Borchers, Michael T; Tomlinson, Craig R; Prows, Daniel R; Leikauf, George D 2006. The role of metallothionein in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 34 1, 73-82

Young, Lisa R; Borchers, Michael T; Allen, Holly L; Gibbons, Reta S; McCormack, Francis X 2006. Lung-restricted macrophage activation in the pearl mouse model of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 176 7, 4361-8

Deshmukh, Hitesh S; Case, Lisa M; Wesselkamper, Scott C; Borchers, Michael T; Martin, Linda D; Shertzer, Howard G; Nadel, Jay A; Leikauf, George D 2005. Metalloproteinases mediate mucin 5AC expression by epidermal growth factor receptor activation. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 171 4, 305-14

Wesselkamper, Scott C; Case, Lisa M; Henning, Lisa N; Borchers, Michael T; Tichelaar, Jay W; Mason, John M; Dragin, Nadine; Medvedovic, Mario; Sartor, Maureen A; Tomlinson, Craig R; Leikauf, George D 2005. Gene expression changes during the development of acute lung injury: role of transforming growth factor beta. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 172 11, 1399-411

Leikauf, George D; Borchers, Michael T; Prows, Daniel R; Simpson, Leigh G 2002. Mucin apoprotein expression in COPD. Chest, 121 5 Suppl, 166S-182S

Borchers, M T; Carty, M P; Leikauf, G D 1999. Regulation of human airway mucins by acrolein and inflammatory mediators. The American journal of physiology, 276 4 Pt 1, L549-55

Borchers, M T; Wesselkamper, S; Wert, S E; Shapiro, S D; Leikauf, G D 1999. Monocyte inflammation augments acrolein-induced Muc5ac expression in mouse lung. The American journal of physiology, 277 3 Pt 1, L489-97

Borchers, M T; Wert, S E; Leikauf, G D 1998. Acrolein-induced MUC5ac expression in rat airways. The American journal of physiology, 274 4 Pt 1, L573-81

Balasubramaniam, A; Ujhelyi, M; Borchers, M; Huang, Y; Zhai, W; Zhou, Y; Johnson, M; Sheriff, S; Fischer, J E 1996. Antagonistic properties of centrally truncated analogs of [D-Trp(32)]NPY. Journal of medicinal chemistry, 39 5, 1142-7

Chance, W T; Balasubramaniam, A; Borchers, M; Fischer, J E 1995. Refractory hypothalamic adenylate cyclase in anorectic tumor-bearing rats: implications for NPY-induced feeding. Brain research, 691 1-2, 180-4

Norman, A B; Borchers, M T; Wachendorf, T J; Price, A L; Sanberg, P R 1989. Loss of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain following in vitro polytron homogenization. Brain research bulletin, 22 4, 633-6