Eduardo López-Collazo
The immune response is activated in different clinical contexts that can be modeled in vitro. The first reaction of the Innate Immune System (IIS) is marked by an inflammatory response that is similar in different ways. However, the first steps produce a "deviation" towards an "alternative" response that can be carried out, in many cases, refractory states such as tolerance to endotoxins, immune training and tolerance to tumors. These refractory states may have researching values and their study is the objective of our research.
Our laboratory is dedicated to unravelling the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the immune response in two main contexts: sepsis and metastasis.
In the latter, we are working on the development of a theory that postulates the initiation of metastasis as a fusion between immune system cells and tumour stem cells, generating a kind of Trojan horse capable of migrating, evading the immune system, settling in distant sites and proliferating. Our data indicate the occurrence of this phenomenon and we have established some prognostic biomarkers.
In the case of sepsis, it is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Sepsis can induce acute kidney injury and multiple organ failures and represents the most common cause of death in intensive care units. The immune response during sepsis is complex and varies over time, with the concomitant occurrence of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
Our group studies the evolution of sepsis to understand the transition from the inflammatory to the immunosuppressive phase, as well as to establish useful markers for classification and clinical management. To do this, we use both patient samples and animal models. We are particularly interested in the role of immunocheckpoints in this context, as well as the mechanisms that mediate the immunosuppressive phase of this disease.
Recent publications
Fused Cells between Human-Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Monocytes Keep Stemness Properties and Acquire High Mobility, Int J Mol Sci, 2022 Aug 26;23(17):9672. doi: 10.3390/ijms23179672.
Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells Fuse with Monocytes to Form Tumour Hybrid Cells with the Ability to Migrate and Evade the Immune System, Cancers (Basel). 2022 Jul 15;14(14):3445. doi: 10.3390/cancers14143445.
Differential Immune Checkpoint and Ig-like V-Type Receptor Profiles in COVID-19: Associations with Severity and Treatment, J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 8;11(12):3287. doi: 10.3390/jcm11123287.
Soluble SIGLEC5: A New Prognosis Marker in Colorectal Cancer Patients, Cancers (Basel) 2021 Aug 2;13(15):3896. doi: 10.3390/cancers13153896.
The immune checkpoints storm in COVID-19: Role as severity markers at emergency department admission, Clin Transl Med. 2021 Oct;11(10):e573. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.573.
Mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19, Nature. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03767-x
SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity in a cohort of 449 non-hospitalized individuals during Spanish COVID-19 lockdown, Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 3;11(1):21612. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00990-4.