Steph Dillon, PhD
Associate Research Professor, Medicine-Infectious Disease

Photo
Graduate School :
  • PhD, University of Otago, New Zealand (1999)
Undergraduate School:
  • BSc (Hons), University of Otago, New Zealand (1994)
Languages: English
Department: Medicine-Infectious Disease

Professional Titles

  • Assistant Research Professor

Research Interests

My current research centers on taking a basic and translational research approach to understanding the impact of HIV on intestinal immune cell function and on the intestinal microbiome. I also investigate how physiological aging influences gut immunity and the microbiome in people with and without HIV.

Publications

  • Seymour BJ, Trent B, Allen BE, Berlinberg AJ, Tangchittsumran J, Jubair WK, Chriswell ME, Liu S, Ornelas A, Stahly A, Alexeev EE, Dowdell AS, Sneed SL, Fechtner S, Kofonow JM, Robertson CE, Dillon SM, Wilson CC, Anthony RM, Frank DN, Colgan SP, Kuhn KA. Microbiota-dependent indole production stimulates the development of collagen-induced arthritis in mice. J Clin Invest. 2023 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 38113112
  • Jones ST, Guo K, Cooper EH, Dillon SM, Wood C, Nguyen DH, Shen G, Barrett BS, Frank DN, Kroehl M, Janoff EN, Kechris K, Wilson CC, Santiago ML. Altered Immunoglobulin Repertoire and Decreased IgA Somatic Hypermutation in the Gut during Chronic HIV-1 Infection. J Virol. 2022 Sep 14;96(17):e0097622. PubMed PMID: 35938870
  • Dillon SM, Mickens KL, Thompson TA, Cooper EH, Nesladek S, Christians AJ, Castleman M, Guo K, Wood C, Frank DN, Kechris K, Santiago ML, Wilson CC. Granzyme B( ) CD4 T cells accumulate in the colon during chronic HIV-1 infection. Gut Microbes. 2022 Jan-Dec;14(1):2045852. PubMed PMID: 35258402
  • Dillon S, Guo K, Cooper E, Wood C, Kechris K, Santiago M and Wilson C. Extensive transcriptional perturbations in the colon versus blood during chronic HIV. Virtual CROI 2022.
  • Kaylee Mickens, Stephanie M. Dillon, Kejun Guo, Bradley S. Barrett, Mario L. Santiago, Cara C. Wilson. The Role of Granzyme B in HIV-1-Mediated Killing of Gut CD4+ T Cells. International Workshop on Retroviral Pathogenesis (RETROPATH), Vail, CO 2022
  • Dillon SM, Thompson TA, Christians AJ, McCarter MD, Wilson CC. Reduced immune-regulatory molecule expression on human colonic memory CD4 T cells in older adults. Immun Ageing. 2021 Feb 13;18(1):6. PubMed PMID: 33581731
  • Dillon SM, Abdo MH, Wilson MP, Liu J, Jankowski CM, Robertson CE, Tuncil Y, Hamaker B, Frank DN, MaWhinney S, Wilson CC, Erlandson KM. A Unique Gut Microbiome-Physical Function Axis Exists in Older People with HIV: An Exploratory Study. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2021 Jul;37(7):542-550. PubMed PMID: 33787299
  • Erlandson KM, Liu J, Johnson R, Dillon S, Jankowski CM, Kroehl M, Robertson CE, Frank DN, Tuncil Y, Higgins J, Hamaker B, Wilson CC. An exercise intervention alters stool microbiota and metabolites among older, sedentary adults. Ther Adv Infect Dis. 2021 Jan-Dec;8:20499361211027067. PubMed PMID: 34262758
  • Kibbie JJ, Dillon SM, Thompson TA, Purba CM, McCarter MD, Wilson CC. Butyrate directly decreases human gut lamina propria CD4 T cell function through histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition and GPR43 signaling. Immunobiology. 2021 Sep;226(5):152126. PubMed PMID: 34365090
  • Castleman MJ, Dillon SM, Thompson TA, Santiago ML, McCarter MD, Barker E, Wilson CC. Gut Bacteria Induce Granzyme B Expression in Human Colonic ILC3s In Vitro in an IL-15-Dependent Manner. J Immunol. 2021 Jun 15;206(12):3043-3052. PubMed PMID: 34117105
  • Dillon SM, Wilson CC. Gut Innate Immunity and HIV Pathogenesis. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2021 Apr;18(2):128-138. PubMed PMID: 33687703
  • Dillon S, Cooper E, Thompson T, Mickens K, Guo K, Wood C, Kechris K, Santiago M and Wilson C. Colonic Granzyme B+ CD4 T cells associate with gut and systemic T cell activation. (2021) Virtual CROI. Science Spotlight Presentation.
  • Dillon SM, Liu J, Purba CM, Christians AJ, Kibbie JJ, Castleman MJ, McCarter MD, Wilson CC. Age-related alterations in human gut CD4 T cell phenotype, T helper cell frequencies, and functional responses to enteric bacteria. J Leukoc Biol. 2020 Jan;107(1):119-132. PubMed PMID: 31573727
  • Guo K, Shen G, Kibbie J, Gonzalez T, Dillon SM, Smith HA, Cooper EH, Lavender K, Hasenkrug KJ, Sutter K, Dittmer U, Kroehl M, Kechris K, Wilson CC, Santiago ML. Qualitative Differences Between the IFNa subtypes and IFNß Influence Chronic Mucosal HIV-1 Pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog. 2020 Oct;16(10):e1008986. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008986. eCollection 2020 Oct. PubMed PMID: 33064743; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7592919.
  • Wilson CC and Dillon SM. Age-related changes in the immune phenotype of human memory CD4 T cells differ between colon and peripheral blood. J Immunol May 1, 2020, 204 (1 Supplement) 235.20
  • Dillon S, Guo K, Shen G, Smith H, Kroehl M, Kechris K, Wilson C and Santiago M. Distinct interferomes associated with chronic HIV pathogenesis in the gut. 2020. CROI, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Dillon S, Mickens K, Santiago M and Wilson C. Commensal bacteria induce Granzyme B in human gut CD4 T cells in a MHC Class II and cytokine-dependent manner. Keystone Tissue Immunity Conference, January 2020, Boulder, CO, USA.
  • Dillon SM, Wilson CC. What is the collective effect of aging and HIV on the gut microbiome?. Curr Opin HIV AIDS. 2019 Dec 23. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31876548
  • Liu J, Johnson R, Dillon S, Kroehl M, Frank DN, Tuncil YE, Zhang X, Ir D, Robertson CE, Seifert S, Higgins J, Hamaker B, Wilson CC, Erlandson KM. Among older adults, age-related changes in the stool microbiome differ by HIV-1 serostatus. EBioMedicine. 2019 Feb;40:583-594. PubMed PMID: 30685386
  • Castleman MJ, Dillon SM, Purba CM, Cogswell AC, Kibbie JJ, McCarter MD, Santiago ML, Barker E, Wilson CC. Commensal and Pathogenic Bacteria Indirectly Induce IL-22 but Not IFN? Production From Human Colonic ILC3s via Multiple Mechanisms. Front Immunol. 2019;10:649. PubMed PMID: 30984202
  • Castleman MJ, Dillon SM, Purba C, Cogswell AC, McCarter M, Barker E, Wilson C. Enteric bacteria induce IFN? and Granzyme B from human colonic Group 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells. Gut Microbes. 2019 Oct 4;:1-17. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31583949
  • He T, Xu C, Krampe N, Dillon SM, Sette P, Falwell E, Haret-Richter GS, Butterfield T, Dunsmore TL, McFadden WM Jr, Martin KJ, Policicchio BB, Raehtz KD, Penn EP, Tracy RP, Ribeiro RM, Frank DN, Wilson CC, Landay AL, Apetrei C, Pandrea I. High-fat diet exacerbates SIV pathogenesis and accelerates disease progression. J Clin Invest. 2019 Dec 2;129(12):5474-5488. PubMed PMID: 31710311
  • Dillon SM, Guo K, Austin GL, Gianella S, Engen PA, Mutlu EA, Losurdo J, Swanson G, Chakradeo P, Keshavarzian A, Landay AL, Santiago ML, Wilson CC. A compartmentalized type I interferon response in the gut during chronic HIV-1 infection is associated with immunopathogenesis. AIDS. 2018 Jul 31;32(12):1599-1611. PubMed PMID: 29762170
  • Dillon SM, Castleman MJ, Frank DN, Austin GL, Gianella S, Cogswell AC, Landay AL, Barker E, Wilson CC. Brief Report: Inflammatory Colonic Innate Lymphoid Cells Are Increased During Untreated HIV-1 Infection and Associated With Markers of Gut Dysbiosis and Mucosal Immune Activation. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2017 Dec 1;76(4):431-437. PubMed PMID: 28825942
  • Dillon SM, Kibbie J, Lee EJ, Guo K, Santiago ML, Austin GL, Gianella S, Landay AL, Donovan AM, Frank DN, McCARTER MD, Wilson CC. Low abundance of colonic butyrate-producing bacteria in HIV infection is associated with microbial translocation and immune activation. AIDS. 2017 Feb 20;31(4):511-521. PubMed PMID: 28002063
  • Yoder AC, Guo K, Dillon SM, Phang T, Lee EJ, Harper MS, Helm K, Kappes JC, Ochsenbauer C, McCarter MD, Wilson CC, Santiago ML. The transcriptome of HIV-1 infected intestinal CD4 T cells exposed to enteric bacteria. PLoS Pathog. 2017 Feb;13(2):e1006226. PubMed PMID: 28241075
  • Liu J, Williams B, Frank D, Dillon SM, Wilson CC, Landay AL. Inside Out: HIV, the Gut Microbiome, and the Mucosal Immune System. J Immunol. 2017 Jan 15;198(2):605-614. PubMed PMID: 28069756
  • Dillon SM, Kibbie J, Lee EJ, Guo K, Santiago ML, Austin GL, Gianella S, Landay AL, Donovan AM, Frank DN, McCarter MD, Wilson CC. Low abundance of colonic butyrate-producing bacteria in HIV infection is associated with microbial translocation and immune activation. AIDS. 2016 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28002063
  • Dillon SM, Frank DN, Wilson CC. The gut microbiome and HIV-1 pathogenesis: a two-way street. AIDS. 2016 Nov 28;30(18):2737-2751. PubMed PMID: 27755100
  • Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Donovan AM, Guo K, Harper MS, Frank DN, McCarter MD, Santiago ML, Wilson CC. Enhancement of HIV-1 infection and intestinal CD4 T cell depletion ex vivo by gut microbes altered during chronic HIV-1 infection. Retrovirology. 2016 Jan 14;13:5. PubMed PMID: 26762145
  • Harper MS, Guo K, Gibbert K, Lee EJ, Dillon SM, Barrett BS, McCarter MD, Hasenkrug KJ, Dittmer U, Wilson CC, Santiago ML. Interferon-a Subtypes in an Ex Vivo Model of Acute HIV-1 Infection: Expression, Potency and Effector Mechanisms. PLoS Pathog. 2015 Nov;11(11):e1005254. PubMed PMID: 26529416
  • Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Kotter CV, Austin GL, Dong Z, Hecht DK, Gianella S, Siewe B, Smith DM, Landay AL, Robertson CE, Frank DN, Wilson CC. An altered intestinal mucosal microbiome in HIV-1 infection is associated with mucosal and systemic immune activation and endotoxemia. Mucosal Immunol. 2014 Jan 8. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24399150
  • Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Bramante JM, Barker E, Wilson CC. The natural killer cell interferon-gamma response to bacteria is diminished in untreated HIV-1 infection and defects persist despite viral suppression. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Mar 1;65(3):259-67. PubMed PMID: 24091697
  • Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Kotter CV, Austin GL, Dong Z, Hecht DK, Gianella S, Siewe B, Smith DM, Landay AL, Robertson CE, Frank DN, Wilson CC. An altered intestinal mucosal microbiome in HIV-1 infection is associated with mucosal and systemic immune activation and endotoxemia. Mucosal Immunol. 2014 Jul;7(4):983-94. PubMed PMID: 24399150
  • Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Bramante JM, Barker E, Wilson CC. The natural killer cell interferon-gamma response to bacteria is diminished in untreated HIV-1 infection and defects persist despite viral suppression. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Mar 1;65(3):259-67. PubMed PMID: 24091697
  • Steele AK, Lee EJ, Manuzak JA, Dillon SM, Beckham JD, McCarter MD, Santiago ML, Wilson CC. Microbial exposure alters HIV-1-induced mucosal CD4 T cell death pathways Ex vivo. Retrovirology. 2014 Feb 4;11:14. PubMed PMID: 24495380
  • Kiene M, Rethi B, Jansson M, Dillon S, Lee E, Lantto R, Wilson C, Pöhlmann S, Chiodi F. Toll-like receptor 3 signalling up-regulates expression of the HIV co-receptor G-protein coupled receptor 15 on human CD4 T cells. PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e88195. PubMed PMID: 24558379
  • Manuzak JA, Dillon SM, Lee EJ, Dong ZM, Hecht DK, Wilson CC. Increased Escherichia coli-induced interleukin-23 production by CD16 monocytes correlates with systemic immune activation in untreated HIV-1-infected individuals. J Virol. 2013 Dec;87(24):13252-62. PubMed PMID: 24067979
  • Dillon SM and Wilson CC. Gut Innate Immunity and HIV Pathogenesis. Curr. HIV/AIDS Reports.
View All (39 Total) View Less

Professional Memberships

  • Society for Leukocyte Biology, Member
  • Society for Mucosal Immunology, Member

General Information

Graduate Schools:
  • PhD, University of Otago, New Zealand (1999)
Undergraduate Schools:
  • BSc (Hons), University of Otago, New Zealand (1994)
Languages: English
Department: Medicine-Infectious Disease
Contact Us
CU Anschutz
Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place
Campus Box C290
Aurora, CO 80045

Update My Profile
;