Hector Rodriguez
hrodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Inflammation and Macrophage Plasticity Lab
Address: Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, building 801A, Derio (Bizkaia)

The work that our group has been conducting during the last decade has focused on the understanding of myeloid cell responses to microorganisms. Since our initial focus on inflammation induced by infection with the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, our interest has broadened to the general mechanisms that drive both short and long-term monocyte/macrophage responses to diverse microorganisms, including pathogenic (systemic – Borrelia burgdorferi, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; or intestinal – Fusobacterium nucleatum, enteropathogenic E. coli) as well as symbiotic bacteria (Lactoplantibacillus plantarum, Akkermansia municipila).

Our goal is to identify general trends of innate immune memory responses and delineate specific regulatory networks that are associated with the overall activity of these cells. We have focused our efforts on live microorganisms and the specific responses that arise from the complex engagement of pattern recognition receptors and secondary responses resulting from metabolic changes, addressing the full functionality of innate immune cells, including internalization events (i.e. phagocytosis), transcriptional changes (mRNAseq, ATACseq, microRNAseq), their metabolic status, and the induction of soluble factors.

On the other hand, we have had a long interest on the mechanisms that drive inflammatory responses during murine Lyme borreliosis as well as the identification of therapeutic (vaccine candidates, small anti-inflammatory molecules, etc.) interventions against the bacterium and its arthropod vector (Ixodes spp. ticks).

Research line 1: Trained immune responses to pathogens and symbionts of diverse ecologies
Research line 2: Mechanisms of action and efficacy of novel vaccine adjuvants
Research line 3: Tick immunity and tick-specific vaccine formulations
Research line 4: Infection in the context of colorectal cancer
Research line 5: Microbiota and its associated metabolome in homeostasis and disease

Collaborations
Utpal Pal (University of Maryland College Park), Erol Fikrig (University of Yale School of Medicine), Francesco Peri & Siobhán McClean (BactiVax), Joppe Hovius & Boris Klempa (AntiDotE).

Links
BactiVax (https://www.bactivax.eu)

Latest Publications

Akkermansia muciniphila-induced trained immune phenotype increases bacterial intracellular survival and attenuates inflammation

Peña-Cearra, A; Palacios, A; Pellon, A; Castelo, J; Pasco, ST; Seoane, I; Barriales, D; Martin, JE; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Macías-Cámara, N; Gutiez, N; Araujo-Aris, ...

COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY

2024-02-16

Mitochondrial dysfunction-associated microbiota establishes a transmissible refractory response to anti-TNF therapy during ulcerative colitis

Peña-Cearra, A; Castelo, J; Lavín, JL; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Fuertes, M; de Juan, VG; Bárcena, L; Martín-Ruiz, I; Pellón, A; Seoane, I; Barriales, D; Palacios, A; Fullaondo, ...

GUT MICROBES

2023-12-18

Mitochondrial dysfunction promotes microbial composition that negatively impacts on ulcerative colitis development and progression

Pena-Cearra, A; Song, DG; Castelo, J; Palacios, A; Lavin, JL; Azkargorta, M; Elortza, F; Fuertes, M; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Barriales, D; Martin-Ruiz, I; Fullaondo, A; Aransay, AM; Rodriguez, H; ...

NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES

2023-10-07

An in vitro analysis of the interaction between infliximab and granulocyte-monocyte apheresis.

Rodriguez-Lago, Iago; Abecia, Leticia; Seoane, Iratxe; Anguita, Juan; Cabriada, Jose Luis;

Gastroenterologia y hepatologia

2023-07-06

Immunization with a small fragment of the Schmallenberg virus nucleoprotein highly conserved across the Orthobunyaviruses of the Simbu serogroup reduces viremia in SBV challenged IFNAR-/- mice

Guerra, GS; Barriales, D; Lorenzo, G; Moreno, S; Anguita, J; Brun, A; Abrescia, NGA;

VACCINE

2023-05-12

Dynamin-like proteins mediate extracellular vesicle secretion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Gupta, S; Bhagavathula, M; Sharma, V; Sharma, N; Sharma, N; Biswas, A; Palacios, A; Salgueiro, V; Lavín, JL; Dogra, N; Salgame, P; Prados-Rosales, R; Rodríguez, GM;

EMBO REPORTS

2023-04-20

The Ixodes ricinus salivary gland proteome during feeding and B. Afzelii infection: New avenues for an anti-tick vaccine

Klouwens, MJ; Trentelman, JJA; Barriales, D; Ersoz, JI; Azkargorta, M; Elortza, F; Síma, R; Hajdusek, O; Cortazar, JT; Corcuera, IE; Colstrup, E; Nayak, A; Ruíz, IM; Rodriguez, H; Nijhof, AM; ...

VACCINE

2023-03-04

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; Sacristán, N; Baschirotto, PT; Poveda, A; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Anguita, J; Fernández-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; Mínguez-Toral, M; Zalamea, JD; Franconetti, A; Abrescia, NGA; Jimenez-Barbero, J; Anguita, ...

JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY

2023-02-23

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; Tomás-Cortázar, J; Yang, XL; Wu, MJ; Kepple, O; Li, WZ; Dwyer, JE; Matias, J; Baljinnyam, B; Oliver, JD; Rajeevan, ...

SCIENCE

2023-01-12

Restoring cellular magnesium balance through Cyclin M4 protects against acetaminophen-induced liver damage

González-Recio, I; Simón, J; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Serrano-Maciá, M; Mercado-Gómez, M; Rodríguez-Agudo, R; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; Gil-Pitarch, C; Fernández-Rodríguez, C; Castellana, D; Latasa, ...

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

2022-11-25

Enhanced mitochondrial activity reshapes a gut microbiota profile that delays NASH progression

Juárez-Fernández, M; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Porras, D; García-Mediavilla, MV; Bravo, M; Serrano-Maciá, M; Simón, J; Delgado, TC; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; Martínez-Flórez, S; Lorenzo, O; Rincón, ...

HEPATOLOGY

2022-09-12

Mitochondrial complex I dysfunction alters the balance of soluble and membrane-bound TNF during chronic experimental colitis

Peña-Cearra, A; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Lavin, JL; Fuertes, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Castelo, J; Palacios, A; Barriales, D; Fullaondo, A; Aransay, AM; Rodríguez, 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

Simó, C; Fornari, T; García-Risco, MR; Peña-Cearra, A; Abecia, L; Anguita, J; Rodríguez, H; García-Cañas, V;

FOOD & FUNCTION

2022-04-12

Structural Analysis of the Black-Legged Tick Saliva Protein Salp15

Chaves-Arquero, B; Persson, C; Merino, N; Tomás-Cortazar, J; Rojas, AL; Anguita, J; Blanco, FJ;

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

2022-03-01

Mitochondrial bioenergetics boost macrophage activation, promoting liver regeneration in metabolically compromised animals

Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Serrano-Maciá, M; Delgado, TC; Simón, J; Ramos, DF; Barriales, D; Cornide, ME; Jiménez, M; Pérez-Redondo, M; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; Rodríguez-Agudo, R; Bizkarguenaga, ...

HEPATOLOGY

2021-12-15

Uneven metabolic and lipidomic profiles in recovered COVID-19 patients as investigated by plasma NMR metabolomics

Bizkarguenaga, M; Bruzzone, C; Gil-Redondo, R; SanJuan, I; Martin-Ruiz, I; Barriales, D; Palacios, A; Pasco, ST; González-Valle, B; Laín, A; Herrera, L; Azkarate, A; Vesga, MA; Eguizabal, C; ...

NMR IN BIOMEDICINE

2021-10-27

A structurally unique Fusobacterium nucleatum tannase provides detoxicant activity against gallotannins and pathogen resistance

Mancheño, JM; Atondo, E; Tomás-Cortázar, J; Lavín, JL; Plaza-Vinuesa, L; Martín-Ruiz, I; Barriales, D; Palacios, A; Navo, CD; Sampedro, L; Peña-Cearra, A; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Castelo, J; Carreras-González, ...

MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

2020-12-18

BpOmpW Antigen Stimulates the Necessary Protective T-Cell Responses Against Melioidosis

Tomás-Cortázar, J; Bossi, L; Quinn, C; Reynolds, CJ; Butler, DK; Corcoran, N; Murchú, MO; McMahon, E; Singh, M; Rongkard, P; Anguita, J; Blanco, A; Dunachie, SJ; Altmann, D; Boyton, RJ; Arnold, ...

FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY

2021-12-13