B Cell Biology
Research group
Group Leader
Andrea Cerutti (ICREA Professor)
In the B Cell Biology research group we take advantage of different cellular, histological and molecular techniques to address basic questions related to the regulation of B cell activation and antibody production. B cells are a type of lymphocyte whose main function is to fight infections by producing antibodies. Our research group is especially interested in the class switching of the immunglobulin (Ig) heavy chain. By substituting IgM with IgG, IgA or IgE, class switching provides antibodies with novel effector functions without changing their antigen specificity. Our overall goal is to dissect the mechanisms by which different subsets of systemic and mucosal B cells regulate class switching in response to signals from microbial products and innate immune cells.
Members
Giuliana Magri (Researcher)
Sabrina Daniela Bascones Gleave (Technician)
Daniel Segura Garzón (Technician)
Main Publications
• Huang B, Faucette AN, Pawlitz MD, Pei B, Goyert JW, Zhou JZ, El-Hage NG, Deng J, Lin J, Yao F, Dewar III RS, Jassal JS, Sandberg ML, Dai J, Cols M, Shen C, Polin LA, Nichols RA, Jones TB, Bluth MH, Puder KS, Gonik B, Nayak NR, Puscheck E, Wei WZ, Cerutti A, Colonna M, Chen K. Interleukin-33-induced expression of PIBF1 by decidual B cells protects against preterm labor. Nat Med 2017; 23(1): 128-135. IF 29.886. D1.
• Magri G, Comerma L, Pybus M, Sintes J, Lligé D, Segura D, Bascones S, Yeste A, Grasset EK, Gutzeit C, Uzzan M, Ramanujam M, van Zelm MC, Albero R, Vázquez I, Iglesias M, Serrano S, Márquez L, Mercadé E, Mehandru S, Cerutti A. Human Secretory IgM Emerges from Plasma Cells Clonally Related to Gut Memory B Cells and Targets Highly Diverse Commensals. Immunity 2017; 47: 118-134. IF 22.845. D1.
• Sintes J, Gentile M, Zhang S, García-Carmona Y, Magri G, Cassis L, Segura-Garzón D, Ciociola A, Grasset EK, Bascones S, Comerma L, Pybus M, Lligé D, Puga I, Gutzeit C, He B, DuBois W, Crespo M, Pascual J, Mensa A, Aróstegui JI, Juan M, Yagüe J, Serrano S, Lloreta J, Meffre E, Hahne M, Cunningham-Rundles C, Mock BA, Cerutti A. mTOR intersects antibody-inducing signals from TACI in marginal zone B cells. Nat Commun 2017; 8: 1462. IF 12.124. D1.
• López-Montañés M, Alari E, Sintes J, Martínez-Rodríguez JE, Muntasell A, López-Botet M. Antibody-Dependent NK Cell Activation Differentially Targets EBV-Infected Cells in Lytic Cycle and Bystander B Lymphocytes Bound to Viral Antigen-Containing Particles. J Immunol 2017; 199(2): 656-665. IF 4.856. Q1.
Ongoing Research Projects
• Estudio de la respuesta humoral en la mucosa respiratoria: papel de la IgD
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SAF2014-52483-R)
- From 2015 to 2018
- Principal investigator: Cerutti, Andrea
• Innate Signalling Networks in B–Cell Antibody Production: New Targets for Vaccine Development (ERC GRANT)
- European Community (294561)
- From 2012 to 2018
- Principal investigator: Cerutti, Andrea
Group’s Recognitions
• Officially recognized as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya: B cell biology group (2017-2019)
- Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 120)
- Principal investigator: Cerutti, Andrea
C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88
08003 Barcelona
(+34) 93 316 04 00
info@imim.es