T-RAIG projects are based on the study of chronic inflammatory processes leading to one human pathology.

Therapeutic targeting of plasma cells

Humoral immunity has to be targetted in autoimmunity. Recently, three B-cell directed therapies have been approved for clinical practice. Notably, none of these three directly targets antibody-producing plasmocytes, leaving unaffected established cells in treated patients. The long-term goal of this project is to identify target(s) expressed at the surface of plasmocytes in order to induce their depletion in an antibody-dependent manner. Our ambition is to find targets dependent of the microenvironment to enable us a organ/disease specific plasmocyte depletion.

Leaders: Bertrand Huard / Nathalie Sturm

Current funding:

• Société Française d’Hépatologie (AFEF) 2018-
• Fondation Française pour la Recherche contre le Myélome et les Gammopathies (FFRMG) 2021-2023

Neuronal regeneration in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system

Excessive inflammation in autoimmune neurodegenerative diseases is nowadays well-controlled by highly specific immunosuppressive coumpounds. However, pro-regeneration drugs are crucially missing in the therapeutic arsenal. Our tissue approach in patients led us to discover that our long-term molecule of interest, a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), is a binding partner of the natural inhibitors of regeneration, the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG). This project aims at testing whether APRIL may antagonize CSPG inhibitory functions. The study concerns multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica. 

Leaders: Bertrand Huard / Olivier Casez

Current funding:

• Association pour la recherche contre la sclérose en plaques (ARSEP) 2020-2021
• Programme européen H2020 MSCA 2020-2023
• Agence nationale pour la recherche 2020-2022

Role of the neutrophil in spondyloarthritis

We study in the SKG mouse model of Chlamydia-induced reactive arthritisthe role of innate immunity cells, monocytes and neutrophils, in the onset of arthritis. The production of radical oxygen derivatives and cytokine by different cell types is analyzed

Leaders: Marie-Hélène Paclet / Athan Baillet

Current funding:

• TIMC laboratory - emergence program 2021
• Société française de rhumatologie 2020-2022
• Bourse Dreamer 2020-2022

Prediction of response to biotherapies in rheumatoid arthritis

We are evaluating the effecicay of a response prediction algorithm to rheumatoid arthritis biotherapies that combines several biomarkers identified by a proteomic approach.
 

Leaders: Philippe Gaudin / Athan Baillet

Current funding:

• European program H2020 EIT Health 2019-2021

TEAM MEMBERS PUBLICATIONS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS
 

Baert, L., M. Benkhoucha, N. Popa, M.C. Ahmed, B. Manfroi, J. Boutonnat, N. Sturm, G. Raguenez, M. Tessier, O. Casez, R. Marignier, M. Ahmadi, A. Broisat, C. Ghezzi, C. Rivat, C. Sonrier, M. Hahne, D. Baeten, R.R. Vives, H. Lortat-Jacob, P.N. Marche, P. Schneider, H.P. Lassmann, J. Boucraut, P.H. Lalive, and B. Huard. 2019. A proliferation-inducing ligand-mediated anti-inflammatory response of astrocytes in multiple sclerosis. Ann. Neurol.

Belbézier, A., M. Arnaud, I. Boccon-Gibod, F. Pelletier, C. McAvoy, D. Gobert, O. Fain, A. Du-Thanh, D. Launay, J. Lupo, and L. Bouillet. 2021. COVID-19 as a trigger of acute attacks in people with hereditary angioedema. Clin Exp Allergy.

Casez, O., G. Willaume, S. Grand, B. Nemoz, J. Lupo, P. Kahane, and J.-P. Brion. 2021. Teaching NeuroImages: SARS-CoV-2-Related Encephalitis: MRI Pattern of Olfactory Tract Involvement. Neurology.

Drevet, S., G. Gavazzi, L. Grange, C. Dupuy, and B. Lardy. 2018. Reactive oxygen species and NADPH oxidase 4 involvement in osteoarthritis. Exp Gerontol.

Labbé, C., N. Grima, T. Gautier, B. Favier, and J.A. Byrne. 2019. Semi-automated fact-checking of nucleotide sequence reagents in biomedical research publications: The Seek & Blastn tool. PLoS One.

Marceau, F., G.E. Rivard, J.M. Gauthier, K.E. Binkley, A. Bonnefoy, I. Boccon-Gibod, L. Bouillet, M. Picard, G. Levesque, H.L. Elfassy, H. Bachelard, J. Hébert, and K. Bork. 2020. Measurement of Bradykinin Formation and Degradation in Blood Plasma: Relevance for Acquired Angioedema Associated With Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition and for Hereditary Angioedema Due to Factor XII or Plasminogen Gene Variants. Front Med (Lausanne).

Romand, X., X. Liu, M.A. Rahman, Z.A. Bhuyan, C. Douillard, R.A. Kedia, N. Stone, D. Roest, Z.H. Chew, A.J. Cameron, L.M. Rehaume, A. Bozon, M. Habib, C.W. Armitage, M.V.C. Nguyen, B. Favier, K. Beagley, M. Maurin, P. Gaudin, R. Thomas, T.J. Wells, and A. Baillet. 2021. Mediation of Interleukin-23 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Driven Reactive Arthritis by Chlamydia-Infected Macrophages in SKG Mice. Arthritis Rheumatol.

Trocmé, C., N. Gonnet, M. Di Tommaso, H. Samouda, J.-L. Cracowski, C. Cracowski, S. Lambert-Porcheron, M. Laville, E. Nobécourt, C. Gaddhab, A. Le Lay, T. Bohn, C. Poitou, K. Clément, F. Al-Mulla, M.S. Bitar, and S.P. Bottari. 2020. Serum IRAP, a Novel Direct Biomarker of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes? Front Mol Biosci.

Wendum, D., R. Layese, N. Ganne-Carrié, V. Bourcier, F. Merabtene, C. Cagnot, E. Sauce, N. Barget, P. Bedossa, B. Terris, J. Selves, P. Bioulac-Sage, N. Sturm, C. Sattonnet, P. Nahon, F. Roudot-Thoraval, M. Ziol, and ANRS CO12 CirVir Group. 2018. Influence of Progenitor-Derived Regeneration Markers on Hepatitis C Virus-Related Cirrhosis Outcome (ANRS CO12 CirVir Cohort). Hepatology.

Zana, M., Z. Péterfi, H.A. Kovács, Z.E. Tóth, B. Enyedi, F. Morel, M.-H. Paclet, Á. Donkó, S. Morand, T.L. Leto, and M. Geiszt. 2018. Interaction between p22phox and Nox4 in the endoplasmic reticulum suggests a unique mechanism of NADPH oxidase complex formation. Free Radic Biol Med. 116:41–49. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.12.031.