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Organ Transplant

Research Lines

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Research

The Molecular Virology group focuses its research on the study of HIV-1 genetic variation and viral evolution using both in vitro and ex vivo approaches, structured around the following research lines:

- Non-progressor patients. These patients maintain control of the disease in the absence of antiretroviral therapy and have therefore been proposed as a model of functional cure. Our objective is to study the contribution of viral factors to disease control through biological characterization and analysis of viral evolution in individuals with undetectable viral loads (elite controllers, EC), compared with individuals showing other patterns of viral control.

- Viral envelope. This viral protein is key in determining viral fitness. Therefore, its functionality significantly affects infection progression. In collaboration with Dr. Blanco and Dr. Valenzuela, we study which specific events (CD4 binding, fusogenicity, etc.) are associated with envelope functionality. To this end, we have analyzed envelopes from individuals with different patterns of disease progression. Some of these have been contributed to the AIDS Research Network envelope biobank for broader use.

- Dual infection. Infection with more than one viral variant (either through co-infection or superinfection) may have consequences for infection pathogenesis. Within our group, different aspects of DI have been analyzed, including its detection in non-progressor patients, its prevalence and incidence in Spain, and its influence on the neutralizing antibody response.

- Molecular Epidemiology. The group has analyzed viral evolution throughout the epidemic in Spain and in other countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Panama, Brazil, etc.).

- Role of amino acid residues in reverse transcriptase. We study the role of specific amino acid residues in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase in enzymatic function and replication capacity using an infectious molecular clone previously obtained by the group.

- “In vitro” variability. Serial passage studies have been used to detect the mechanisms responsible for the gain or loss of viral fitness.

- Antiviral studies. We have analyzed the selection of resistance mutations in vitro against different antivirals, as well as the effect of these mutations on viral fitness, and the activity of new antivirals such as ATR inhibitors.

 

Virological Diagnosis and Reference in HIV and HTLV Infections

The research group provides diagnostic and reference activities through the service portfolio of the National Center for Microbiology to the entire Spanish National Health System.

These services include:

  • Diagnosis and reference of HIV infection (types 1 and 2) through detection of specific antibodies and detection of proviral DNA by PCR.

  • Diagnosis and reference of HTLV-I/II infection through detection of specific antibodies and detection of proviral DNA by PCR. Quantification of HTLV-1 proviral load by real-time PCR.

European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) in the field of in vitro diagnostic medical devices for microbiological diagnosis (IVD) of HIV and HTLV (Regulation 2023/2713 of December 5th, 2023). Our role is to confirm the reliability and effectiveness of devices for detecting these pathogens and to ensure their specific performance requirements through laboratory testing before they can be marketed within the European Union.

Research projects

Content with Investigacion Neumococos .

1: Título del proyecto: Desarrollo de enzibióticos para combatir infecciones en pacientes con fibrosis quística provocadas por los patógenos Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Staphylococcus aureus: CF-TREAT

Referencia: CPP2022-009574 / MPY 375/23

Agencia Financiadora: Agencia Estatal de Investigación. MICINN.

Fecha Inicio:    01/12/2023
Fecha Fin:    30/11/2026
Financiación: 238.938 Euros
Investigadores principales: Roberto Díez Martínez, José E. Yuste Lobo y Pilar García Suárez

 

2: Título del proyecto: Desarrollo de enzibióticos para combatir infecciones humanas producidas por Enterococcus faecium resistente a vancomicina (ANTI‐VRE).
Proyecto CPP2021-009054 financiado por MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/ PRTR

Investigadores principales: Roberto Díez Martínez, Jose Yuste Lobo y Mirian Domenech

Periodo: 18/11/2022 - 17/11/2025

Cuantía total: 231.455 €

3: Título del proyecto: Mecanismos de virulencia en patógenos respiratorios.
Entidad financiadora: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Convocatoria «Proyectos I+D+I» 2020 - Modalidades «Retos Investigación» y «Generación de Conocimiento»). Referencia: PID2020-119298RB-I00

Investigador principal: Jose Yuste Lobo

Periodo: 01/09/2021 - 30/08/2024

Cuantía total: 121.000 €

4: Título del proyecto: Efectividad de la vacuna antineumocócica conjugada 13-valente frente a la hospitalización por neumonía adquirida en la comunidad en adultos de 60 años o mayores, mediante un estudio de casos y controles modificado. Estudio CIBELES.

Investigadores principales: Jose Yuste Lobo y Ángel Gil de Miguel
Entidad financiadora: PFIZER. Referencia: MVP 249/20
Periodo: 23/02/2021 - 22/02/2025
Cuantía total: 168.000 €

5: Título del proyecto: Evolution of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Spain with special focus on the pathogenesis of serotypes 3, 8, 11A, 19A, 22F and 33F. Investigadores principales: Jose Yuste Lobo y Mirian Domenech.
Entidad financiadora: Merck Sharp & Dohme USA. Referencia: MVP 132/21
Período: 16/06/2021 - 15/12/2023
Cuantía total: 157.448€

6: Título del proyecto: Mecanismos de patogenicidad y protección en bacterias Gram-positivas causantes de enfermedad respiratoria y bacteriemia
Investigador principal: Jose Yuste Lobo
Entidad financiadora: MINECO. Referencia: SAF2017-83388-R
Periodo: 31/12/2017 - 30/06/2021
Cuantía total: 145.200 €

7: Título del proyecto: Characterization of susceptibility to cefditoren investigating penicillin resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Investigadores: Jose Yuste Lobo y Mirian Domenech Lucas
Entidad financiadora: Tedec Meiji Farma, S.A. Referencia: MVP 119/20
Periodo: 11/07/2020 – 10-07-2022
Cuantía total: 76.517 €

8: Título del proyecto: Impact of clinical isolates of serotypes 22F and 33F in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Investigador principal: Jose Yuste Lobo
Entidad financiadora: Merck Sharp & Dohme España, S.A. Referencia: MVE 213/18
Periodo: 10/05/2018 - 30/05/2021
Cuantía total: 157.604 €

Publications

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LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients

Cuadros J, Martin Ramírez A, González IJ, Ding XC, Perez Tanoira R, Rojo-Marcos G, Gómez-Herruz P, Rubio JM. LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients. Malar J. 2017 Jan 7;16(1):20.

PUBMED DOI

Plasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis

Ortiz-Ruiz A, Postigo M, Gil-Casanova S, Cuadrado D, Bautista JM, Rubio JM, Luengo-Oroz M, Linares M. Plasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis. Malar J. 2018 Jan 30;17(1):54.

PUBMED DOI

Study of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid

Martín-Díaz A, Rubio JM, Herrero-Martínez JM, Lizasoain M, Ruiz-Giardin JM, Jaqueti J, Cuadros J, Rojo-Marcos G, Martín-Rabadán P, Calderón M, Campelo C, Velasco M, Pérez-Ayala A. Study of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid. Malar J. 2018 Aug 29;17(1):314.

PUBMED DOI

pective comparative multi-centre study on imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi infections.

Rojo-Marcos G, Rubio-Muñoz JM, Angheben A, Jaureguiberry S, García-Bujalance S, Tomasoni LR, Rodríguez-Valero N, Ruiz-Giardín JM, Salas-Coronas J, Cuadros-González J, García-Rodríguez M, Molina-Romero I, López-Vélez R, Gobbi F, Calderón-Moreno M, Martin-Echevarría E, Elía-López M, Llovo-Taboada J; TropNet Plasmodium ovale investigator group. Prospective comparative multi-centre study on imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi infections. Malar J. 2018 Oct 30;17(1):399.

PUBMED DOI

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Additional Information

La inducción de la tolerancia al aloinjerto sigue siendo una meta por alcanzar en el trasplante de órganos. La mayoría de las estrategias terapéuticas se centran en la inhibición del sistema inmunológico adaptativo, pero datos recientes demuestran que el reconocimiento alogénico de las células mieloides inicia el rechazo al trasplante. Terapias dirigidas hacia las células mieloides “in vivo” representan un objetivo potencial para inducir tolerancia inmunológica, pero permanece inexplorado clínicamente.Nuestro laboratorio utiliza una nanoinmunoterapia revolucionaria de nanopartículas de lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL) cargadas con rapamicina (mTORi-HDL) que previenen las modificaciones epigenéticas asociadas con la inmunidad entrenada, un estado funcional de los macrófagos recientemente descubierto. Usando un modelo experimental de trasplante en ratón, nuestros resultados demuestran que la administración de esta inmunoterapia con mTORi-HDL previene la respuesta inmunológica y promueve la tolerancia al órgano trasplantado.Nuestro laboratorio muestra un enfoque de investigación multidisciplinar articulado en tres objetivos diferentes para evaluar la relevancia clínica y los efectos terapéuticos de la inmunoterapia como preparación para un ensayo clínico en trasplante de órganos. Los objetivos generales estarán orientados a confirmar la identificación de la inmunidad entrenada como biomarcador y valor analítico para predecir el riesgo de rechazo en pacientes trasplantados bajo tres condiciones: periodos prolongadas de reperfusión isquémica (IRI) (objetivo 1), alosensibilización (objetivo 2) e infección (objetivo 3).

Induction of allograft tolerance remains a goal to be achieved in organ transplantation. Most therapeutic strategies focus on inhibition of the adaptive immune system, but recent data demonstrate that allogeneic recognition of myeloid cells initiates transplant rejection. Therapies targeting myeloid cells “in vivo” represent a potential target to induce immunological tolerance, but remain clinically unexplored. 

Our laboratory uses a revolutionary nanoimmunotherapy of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles loaded with rapamycin (mTORi-HDL) that prevents epigenetic modifications associated with trained immunity, a recently discovered functional state of macrophages. Using an experimental mouse transplant model, our results demonstrate that the administration of this immunotherapy with mTORi-HDL prevents the immune response and promotes tolerance to the transplanted organ. 

Our laboratory shows a multidisciplinary research approach articulated in three different objectives to evaluate the clinical relevance and therapeutic effects of immunotherapy in preparation for a clinical trial in organ transplantation. The general objectives will be aimed at confirming the identification of trained immunity as a biomarker and analytical value to predict the risk of rejection in transplant patients under three conditions: prolonged periods of ischemic reperfusion (IRI) (objective 1), allosensitization (objective 2) and infection (objective 3).

Induction of allograft tolerance remains a goal to be achieved in organ transplantation. Most therapeutic strategies focus on inhibition of the adaptive immune system, but recent data demonstrate that allogeneic recognition of myeloid cells initiates transplant rejection. Therapies targeting myeloid cells “in vivo” represent a potential target to induce immunological tolerance, but remain clinically unexplored. 

Our laboratory uses a revolutionary nanoimmunotherapy of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles loaded with rapamycin (mTORi-HDL) that prevents epigenetic modifications associated with trained immunity, a recently discovered functional state of macrophages. Using an experimental mouse transplant model, our results demonstrate that the administration of this immunotherapy with mTORi-HDL prevents the immune response and promotes tolerance to the transplanted organ. 

Our laboratory shows a multidisciplinary research approach articulated in three different objectives to evaluate the clinical relevance and therapeutic effects of immunotherapy in preparation for a clinical trial in organ transplantation. The general objectives will be aimed at confirming the identification of trained immunity as a biomarker and analytical value to predict the risk of rejection in transplant patients under three conditions: prolonged periods of ischemic reperfusion (IRI) (objective 1), allosensitization (objective 2) and infection (objective 3).

Content with Investigacion Neumococos .