The macrophage and tick vaccine laboratory studies the interaction between athropod vectors, infectious microorganisms and their mammalian hosts. The laboratory is primarily focused on ticks of the genus Ixodes, which transmit several medically important pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi.
The lab participates in a large multicenter project funded by the EU (ANTIDotE) that seeks to identify tick salivary antigens that could be used as potential vaccine candidates against tick bites and therefore, prevent the transmission of pathogens. They are also interested in the pharmacological activities exerted by tick saliva proteins, especially those that can modulate the immune response and that can have therapeutic applications in immune disorders.
Finally, the group is interested in understanding the regulation of the immune response pathways present in ticks that participate in the control of pathogens within the vector. On the other hand, the laboratory seeks to understand the response of macrophages to infectious agents, from Lyme borreliosis to inflammatory bowel disease to tuberculosis.
They are interested in understanding the metabolic control of macrophage responses through the specific mitochondrial complex I repressor, MCJ in different models of disease in which these cells participate, such as Lyme carditis and inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, the role of INFγ and other signals on the plasticity of the response of macrophages to infectious agents is another focus of the laboratory.
Finally, the group is interested in defining the phagocytic ‘ome’ that mediates the uptake, elimination and initiation of proinflammatory responses by macrophages. In this context, the group described the Complement Receptor (CR) 3 as a phagocytic receptor involved in the elimination of B. burgdorferi by macrophages. CR3 cooperates with the GPI-anchored protein, CD14, in the internalization of the spirochete, a novel mechanism that is independent of MyD88 signals.
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Principal Investigator
Juan Anguita
Ikerbasque Research Professor RESEARCH ASSISTANT -
Hector Rodriguez
TECHNICIANS / DOCTORAL CANDIDATES -
Itziar Martín Ruíz
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Samuel Tanner Pasco
MSCA-ITN Fellow -
Ainhoa Palacios
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Sarai Araujo Aris
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Iratxe Seoane Alvarez
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Janire Castelo Careaga
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Naiara Gutiez García
AECC Predoctoral Felow
Members
Latest Publications
Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen
Pifferi, C;Aguinagalde, L;Ruiz-de-Angulo, A;Sacristan, N;Baschirotto, PT;Poveda, A;Jimenez-Barbero, J;Anguita, J;Fernandez-Tejada, A
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2023-03-01
New Glucosamine-Based TLR4 Agonists: Design, Synthesis, Mechanism of Action, and In Vivo Activity as Vaccine Adjuvants
Romerio, A;Gotri, N;Franco, AR;Artusa, V;Shaik, MM;Pasco, ST;Atxabal, U;Matamoros-Recio, A;Minguez-Toral, M;Zalamea, JD;Franconetti, A;Abrescia, NGA;Jimenez-Barbero, J;Anguita, J;Martin-Santamaria, ...
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2023-02-02
New Glucosamine-Based TLR4 Agonists: Design, Synthesis, Mechanism of Action, and In Vivo Activity as Vaccine Adjuvants
Romerio, A;Gotri, N;Franco, AR;Artusa, V;Shaik, MM;Pasco, ST;Atxabal, U;Matamoros-Recio, A;Minguez-Toral, M;Zalamea, JD;Franconetti, A;Abrescia, NGA;Jimenez-Barbero, J;Anguita, J;Martin-Santamaria, ...
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2023-02-02
Dome1-JAK-STAT signaling between parasite and host integrates vector immunity and development
Rana, VS;Kitsou, C;Dutta, S;Ronzetti, MH;Zhang, M;Bernard, Q;Smith, AA;Tomas-Cortazar, J;Yang, XL;Wu, MJ;Kepple, O;Li, WZ;Dwyer, JE;Matias, J;Baljinnyam, B;Oliver, JD;Rajeevan, N;Pedra, JHF;Narasimhan, ...
SCIENCE
2023-01-12
Restoring cellular magnesium balance through Cyclin M4 protects against acetaminophen-induced liver damage
Gonzalez-Recio, I;Simon, J;Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N;Serrano-Macia, M;Mercado-Gomez, M;Rodriguez-Agudo, R;Lachiondo-Ortega, S;Gil-Pitarch, C;Fernandez-Rodriguez, C;Castellana, D;Latasa, MU;Abecia, ...
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
2022-11-25
Enhanced mitochondrial activity reshapes a gut microbiota profile that delays NASH progression
Juarez-Fernandez, M;Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N;Porras, D;Garcia-Mediavilla, MV;Bravo, M;Serrano-Macia, M;Simon, J;Delgado, TC;Lachiondo-Ortega, S;Martinez-Florez, S;Lorenzo, O;Rincon, M;Varela-Rey, ...
HEPATOLOGY
2022-09-12
Mitochondrial complex I dysfunction alters the balance of soluble and membrane-bound TNF during chronic experimental colitis
Pena-Cearra, A;Pascual-Itoiz, MA;Lavin, JL;Fuertes, M;Martin-Ruiz, I;Castelo, J;Palacios, A;Barriales, D;Fullaondo, A;Aransay, AM;Rodriguez, H;Anguita, J;Abecia, L
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
2022-06-15
Novel Oxime-Derivatized Synthetic Triterpene Glycosides as Potent Saponin Vaccine Adjuvants
Fuentes, R;Aguinagalde, L;Pifferi, C;Plata, A;Sacristan, N;Castellana, D;Anguita, J;Fernandez-Tejada, A
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2022-05-06
Resazurin-based high-throughput screening method for the discovery of dietary phytochemicals to target microbial transformation of l-carnitine into trimethylamine, a gut metabolite associated with cardiovascular disease
Simo, C;Fornari, T;Garcia-Risco, MR;Pena-Cearra, A;Abecia, L;Anguita, J;Rodriguez, H;Garcia-Canas, V
FOOD & FUNCTION
2022-04-12
Structural Analysis of the Black-Legged Tick Saliva Protein Salp15
Chaves-Arquero, B;Persson, C;Merino, N;Tomas-Cortazar, J;Rojas, AL;Anguita, J;Blanco, FJ
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
2022-03-01
The clinical success of anticancer and antiviral vaccines often requires co-administration of an adjuvant, a substance that enhances the immunogenicity of the antigen and potentiates the immune response. However, few adjuvants exhibit sufficient potency and negligible toxicity to be suitable for clinical use; moreover, their mechanisms of action are generally not fully understood. Current subunit vaccines based on weakly immunogenic carbohydrate and glycopeptide antigens are not being very successful in eliciting a strong immune response against cancer, and no such carbohydrate-based anticancer vaccine has yet been approved for humans despite extensive research efforts and several clinical trials. In this context, building upon the PI's previous background and expertise in the area, the research program in the Fernández-Tejada Group has a double, ultimate goal based on applying chemistry to address the above clear gaps in the adjuvant/vaccine field. With this idea in mind, the Chemical Immunology Lab established by Dr. Fernández-Tejada at CIC bioGUNE will develop new improved adjuvants and novel chemical strategies towards more effective, self-adjuvanting synthetic vaccines. Moreover, leveraging the extraordinary facilities and scientific expertise available at CIC bioGUNE, we will also focus on investigating the molecular mechanisms of the synthetic constructs by combining extensive immunological evaluations with molecular target identification studies and detailed conformational analysis. Thus, the Fernández-Tejada Group builds upon a highly multidisciplinary program integrating ambitious objectives and complementary approaches at the chemistry-biology frontier. Research in the Chemical Immunology Lab connects chemical synthesis and chemical/structural biology with cellular and molecular immunology to explore key unresolved mechanistic questions in the adjuvant/vaccine arena with extraordinary chemical precision.
The Fernández-Tejada Lab is funded primarily by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant, which provides €1.5 million funding for a transformative and timely research program aimed at developing novel synthetic self-adjuvanting vaccines with improved properties and efficacy, as well as unraveling the molecular basis and three-dimensional structure underlying the biological activity of these constructs.
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Principal Investigator
Alberto Fernández-Tejada
Ikerbasque Research Professor POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER -
Vikram Basava
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Priscila Tonon Baschirotto
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Abhijit Saha
TECHNICIANS / DOCTORAL CANDIDATES -
Adrián Plata Ruiz
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Nagore Sacristan
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Mirelys Sáenz
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Alex Sierra Marrero
Members
Latest Publications
Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen
Pifferi, C;Aguinagalde, L;Ruiz-de-Angulo, A;Sacristan, N;Baschirotto, PT;Poveda, A;Jimenez-Barbero, J;Anguita, J;Fernandez-Tejada, A
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2023-03-01
Chemical biology tools to interrogate the roles of O-GlcNAc in immunity
Saha, A;Fernandez-Tejada, A
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2023-01-26
Novel Oxime-Derivatized Synthetic Triterpene Glycosides as Potent Saponin Vaccine Adjuvants
Fuentes, R;Aguinagalde, L;Pifferi, C;Plata, A;Sacristan, N;Castellana, D;Anguita, J;Fernandez-Tejada, A
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2022-05-06
Design, synthesis, and initial immunological evaluation of glycoconjugates based on saponin adjuvants and the Tn antigen
Fuentes, R;Aguinagalde, L;Sacristan, N;Fernandez-Tejada, A
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
2021-10-14
Advances in chemical probing of protein O-GlcNAc glycosylation: structural role and molecular mechanisms
Saha, A;Bello, D;Fernandez-Tejada, A
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
2021-08-02
Rational Vaccine Design in Times of Emerging Diseases: The Critical Choices of Immunological Correlates of Protection, Vaccine Antigen and Immunomodulation
Schijns, V;Majhen, D;van der Ley, P;Thakur, A;Summerfield, A;Berisio, R;Nativi, C;Fernandez-Tejada, A;Alvarez-Dominguez, C;Gizurarson, S;Zamyatina, A;Molinaro, A;Rosano, C;Jakopin, Z;Gursel, ...
PHARMACEUTICS
2021-04-01
Replacing the Rhamnose-Xylose Moiety of QS-21 with Simpler Terminal Disaccharide Units Attenuates Adjuvant Activity in Truncated Saponin Variants
Fuentes, R;Ruiz-de-Angulo, A;Sacristan, N;Navo, CD;Jimenez-Oses, G;Anguita, J;Fernandez-Tejada, A
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
2021-02-04
Natural and synthetic carbohydrate-based vaccine adjuvants and their mechanisms of action
Pifferi, C;Fuentes, R;Fernandez-Tejada, A
NATURE REVIEWS CHEMISTRY
2021-01-25
Chemically Programmed Vaccines: Iron Catalysis in Nanoparticles Enhances Combination Immunotherapy and Immunotherapy-Promoted Tumor Ferroptosis
Ruiz-de-Angulo, A;Bilbao-Asensio, M;Cronin, J;Evans, SJ;Clift, MJD;Llop, J;Feiner, IVJ;Beadman, R;Bascaran, KZ;Mareque-Rivas, JC
ISCIENCE
2020-09-25
Therapeutic Pretargeting with Gold Nanoparticles as Drug Candidates for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
Feiner, IVJ;Pulagam, KR;Gomez-Vallejo, V;Zamacola, K;Baz, Z;Caffarel, MM;Lawrie, CH;Ruiz-de-Angulo, A;Carril, M;Llop, J
PARTICLE & PARTICLE SYSTEMS CHARACTERIZATION
2020-09-23