Research Project

Our group is mainly focused to investigate the mechanisms involved in the development of effector and regulatory immune response during infections. In these projects, we work in close collaboration with groups led by Drs. Adriana Gruppi and Carolina Montes.

Using the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi as a model, we study basic immune mechanisms involved in protective and pathogenic responses. At present, we are interested in expanding the study of immunological mechanisms discovered in our laboratory to other models of chronic diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity. While our laboratory has a strong imprinting in basic research, one of our ongoing goals is to translate our findings from animal models into clinical research.

Specifically, the projects currently underway are:

  • Study of the role of cytokines that signal via IL-17RA in the development of immunity CD8 + T cells against Trypanosoma cruzi
  • Study of the contribution of regulatory T cell response in the progression of the infection with Trypanosoma cruzi
  • Study of the role of cytokines IL-17 family in the induction of antitumor cytotoxic response and tumor progression

Publications

  1. CD8+ T cell immunity is compromised after anti-CD20 treatment and rescued by IL-17A. F Fiocca Vernengo, CG Beccaria, CL Araujo Furlan, J Tosello Boari, L Almada, M Gorosito Serrán, CL Montes, EV Acosta Rodríguez and A Gruppi. mBio. 2020 May 12;11(3):e00447-20. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00447-20. FI: 6,747
  2. Interleukin-17 mediated immunity during infections with Trypanosoma cruzi and other protozoans. Amezcua Vesely MC, Rodríguez C, Gruppi A, Acosta Rodríguez EV. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020 May 1;1866(5):165706. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165706. Epub 2020 Jan 24. FI: 4,328.
  3. Understanding CD8+ T cell immunity to Trypanosoma cruzi and how to improve it. Acosta Rodríguez EV, Araujo Furlan CL, Fiocca Vernengo F, Montes CL, Gruppi A. Trends Parasitol, 35 (11), 899-917 Nov 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.08.006. FI: 8,02.
  4. Local expression of IL-4 and IL-15 induced by Th1 systemic infectious processes lead to a switch from conventional to innate CD8+ T cell development in the thymus” by NS Baez, F Cerbán, C Savid-Frontera, D Hodge, J Tosello, EV Acosta-Rodriguez, HA Young and Maria Cecilia Rodriguez-Galan. PLoS Pathog. 2019 Jan 4;15(1):e1007456. FI: 6.463
  5. Limited Foxp3+ regulatory T cells during acute T. cruzi infection is required to allow the emergence of robust parasite-specific CD8+ T cell immunity. CL Araujo Furlan, J Tosello Boari, C Rodriguez, F Canale, F Fiocca Vernengo, S Boccardo, C Beccaria, V Adoue, J Fourquet, O Joffre, A Gruppi, CL Montes, EV Acosta Rodriguez. Front Immunol. 2018 Nov 5;9:2347. Doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02555 eCollection 2018. FI: 5.511
  6. IL-17RA-signaling sustains immunity to Trypanosoma cruzi by modulating CD8+ T cell survival, differentiation and exhaustion. J Tosello Boari, C Araujo Furlan, F Fiocca Vernengo, MC Ramello, MC Amezcua Vesely, M Gorosito Serrán, NG Nuñez, N Cagnard, E Piaggio, CL Montes, A Gruppi, EV Acosta Rodríguez. Front Immunol. 2018 Oct 11;9:2347. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02347. eCollection 2018. FI: 5.511
  7. PD-L1+ regulatory B cells are significantly decreased in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients and increase after successful treatment. ER Zacca, LI Onofrio, C Acosta, PV Ferrero, SM Alonso, MC Ramello, E Mussano, L Onetti, II Cadile, MI Stancich, MC Taboada Bonfanti, CL Montes, EV Acosta Rodriguez, A Gruppi. Front. Immunol. 2018 Oct 1;9:2241. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02241. eCollection 2018. FI: 5.511
  8. Galectin-3 restrains spontaneous germinal centers formation preventing autoimmunity. C Beccaria, MC Amezcua Vesely, F Fiocca Vernengo, MC Ramello, J Tosello Boari, M Gorosito Serrán, R Gehrau, E Piaggio, J Mucci, O Campetella, EV Acosta Rodríguez, CL Montes, A Gruppi. Nature Communications. 2018 Apr 24;9(1):1628. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04063-5. FI: 12.124
  9. Expression of inhibitory receptors on T cells as marker of disease activity and potential target for immune intervention in Rheumatoid Arthritis. LI Onofrio, ER Zacca, P Ferrero, C Acosta, E Mussano, L Onetti, I Cadile, MV Gazzoni, R Jurado, J Tosello Boari, Ramello MC, CL Montes, A Gruppi, EV Acosta Rodríguez. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018 Sep;70(9):1429-1439. doi: 10.1002/art.40521. Epub 2018 Aug 6. FI: 7.873. Seleccionado para la sección Clinical Connection de la misma revista. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.40286
  10. Unconventional pro-inflammatory CD4+ T cell response in B cell deficient mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. M Gorosito Serrán, J Tosello Boari, MC Ramello, F Fiocca Vernengo, CG Beccaría, DA Bermejo, CL Montes, EV Acosta Rodríguez, A Gruppi. Front Immunol. 2017 Nov 21;8:1548. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01548. eCollection 2017. FI: 6,429.
  11. CD39 expression defines cell exhaustion in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Canale FP, Ramello MC, Núñez N, Araujo Furlan CL, Bossio SN, Gorosito Serrán M, Tosello Boari J, Del Castillo A, Ledesma M, Sedlik C, Piaggio E, Gruppi A, Acosta Rodríguez EV, Montes CL. Cancer Res. 2017 Oct 24. pii: canres.2684.2016. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-2684. FI: 9.122
  12. Dendritic cells activated with IL-1β set Th17 cells on fire by CD14-mediated mechanisms.  Eva Acosta Rodríguez and Jimena Tosello Boari. News & Commentary. Immunology and Cell Biology. 2016 Oct 11. doi: 10.1038/icb.2016.87. FI: 4.473
  13. Tumor-induced senescent T cells promote the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors by human monocytes/macrophages through a mechanism that involves Tim-3 and CD40L. Ramello MC, Tosello Boari J, Canale F, Mena H, Negrotto S, Gastman B, Gruppi A, Acosta Rodríguez EV; Montes CL. Cell Death & Disease. 2014 Nov 6;5:e1507. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2014.451. FI: 5.177
  14. Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase initiates an ROR-gt/AHR independent program leading to IL-17 production by activated B cells. Daniela A Bermejo, Shaun W Jackson, Melisa Gorosito-Serran, Eva V Acosta-Rodriguez, Maria C Amezcua-Vesely, Blythe D Sather, Akhilesh K. Singh, Socheath Khim, Juan Mucci, Denny Liggitt, Oscar Campetella, Mohamed Oukka, Adriana Gruppi, David J Rawlings. Nature Immunology. 2013 May:14(5):415-522. FI 24.973. Comentado en el artículo de IL-17-producing B cells combat parasites. León B, Lund FE. Nat Immunol. 2013 May;14(5):419-21. doi: 10.1038/ni.2593.
  15. IL-17RA signaling reduces inflammation and mortality during Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice by recruiting suppressive IL-10-producing neutrophils. J Tosello Boari, MC Amezcua Vesely, DA Bermejo, MC Ramello, CL Montes, H Cejas, A Gruppi, EV Acosta Rodríguez. Plos Pathogens. 2012 Apr:8(4): e1002658. FI: 9.127.
  16. FcgammaRIIb and BAFF differentially regulate peritoneal B1 cell survival. MC Amezcua Vesely, M Schwartz, DA Bermejo, CL Montes, A Kalergis, D Rawlings, EV Acosta-Rodríguez, A Gruppi. Journal of Immunolology. 2012 May 15;188(10):4792-800. Epub 2012 Apr 18. FI: 5.745.
  17. BAFF mediates splenic B cell response and antibody production in experimental Chagas disease. DA Bermejo, MC Amezcua-Vesely, CL Montes, MC Merino, H Cejas,  EV Acosta-Rodríguez, A Gruppi. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2010 May 4;4(5):e679. FI:4.172
  18. Prostaglandin E2 enhances Th17 responses by differentially modulating the production of IL-17 and IFN-g by purified memory CD4+ T cells. G Napolitani*, EV Acosta-Rodríguez*, A Lanzavecchia, F Sallusto. *igual contribución al manuscrito. European Journal of Immunology. 2009 May;39(5):1301-12. FI: 4.865.
  19. Interleukins 1beta and 6 but not transforming growth factor-beta are critical cytokines for induction of human Th17 cells. EV Acosta-Rodríguez, G Napolitani, A Lanzavecchia, F Sallusto. Nature Immunology. 2007. Sep;8(9):942-9. FI: 26.218. Comentado en el artículo de TH-17 differentiation: of mice and men Arian Laurence & John J O’Shea. Nat Immunol. 2007 Sep;8(9):903-5.
  20. Surface phenotype and antigenic specificity of human interleukin 17-producing T helper memory cells. EV Acosta-Rodríguez, L Rivino, J Geginat, D Jarrossay, M Gattorno, A Lanzavecchia, F Sallusto, G Napolitani. Nature Immunology. 2007. Jun 8(6):639-46. FI: 26.218. Comentado en el artículo de Antifungal defense turns 17. Noah W Palm & Ruslan Medzhitov. Nat Immunol. 2007 Jun;8(6):549-51

Languages