Onco-immunology

ONCO-IMMUNOLOGY

The Laboratory of Onco-immunology is focused on studying chronic B cell neoplasms, particularly chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Leukemic cells from CLL patients recirculate between the blood and lymphoid organs where they receive pro-survival signals from the protective microenvironment, leading to progression and resistance to antineoplastic therapy. On the other hand, leukemic cells induce the dysregulation of both, innate and adaptative immunity, through the release of soluble factors and cell-to-cell contact. The aim of the laboratory is to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of CLL migration, the characteristic immunodeficiency of CLL patients and the role of novel agents (kinase inhibitors and BCL-2 inhibitors) on non-malignant leukocytes. Throughout the years we have established collaborations with different public and private health institutions which have favored and improved the translational aims of our research. The incorporation of the CLL murine model, the Eµ-TCL1, into the IMEX animal facility has widened the possibilities of investigation, particularly those which implicate infectious agents or the evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies.

CHAIR

Mirta Giordano, PhD
CONICET Senior investigator

📧 giordanomirta@gmail.com

View Curriculum Vitae

CO-CHAIR

Romina Gamberale, PhD
CONICET Independent researcher

📧 rominagamberale@gmail.com

View Curriculum Vitae

Researchers

Fellows

Research Lines

Publications

G-protein coupled receptor kinase-2 regulates the migration of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells to sphingosine-1 phosphate in vitro and their trafficking in vivo. María Chiara Cassarino*, Ana Colado*, Valeria Sarapura Martinez, Claudio Martines, Alice Bonato, Martin Bertini, Miguel Pavlovksy, Rosario Custidiano, Fernando Raimundo Bezares, Pablo Elías Morande, Mónica Vermeulen, Romina Gamberale, Mirta Giordano, Dimitar G Efremov and Mercedes Borge (2025). Scientific reports, 15(1), 6530. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91536-5
Venetoclax resistance induced by activated T cells can be counteracted by sphingosine kinase inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Valeria J Sarapura Martinez, Brenda Buonincontro, Chiara Cassarino, Juliana Bernatowiez, Ana Colado, Gregorio Cordini, Maria del Rosario Custidiano, Carolina Mahuad, Miguel A. Pavlovsky, Raimundo F. Bezares, Nicolás Octavio Favale, Mónica Vermeulen, Mercedes Borge, Mirta Giordano and Romina Gamberale. Frontiers in Oncology 2023 Mar 20;13:1143881. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1143881. eCollection 2023.
The protective role of the microenvironment in hairy cell leukemia treatment: Facts and perspectives. Gargiulo E, Giordano M, Niemann CU, Moussay E, Paggetti J, Morande PE. Front Oncol. 2023 Mar 8;13:1122699. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1122699. eCollection 2023.
Venetoclax-resistant CLL cells show a highly activated and proliferative phenotype. Elias EE, Sarapura Martinez VJ, Amondarain M, Colado A, Cordini G, Bezares RF, Fernandez Grecco H, Custidiano MDR, Sánchez Ávalos JC, Garate G, Pavlovsky MA, Borge M, Giordano M, Gamberale R. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2022 Apr;71(4):979-987. doi: 10.1007/s00262-021-03043-x.
COVID-19 Vaccination Responses with Different Vaccine Platforms in Patients with Inborn Errors of Immunity. L Erra, I Uriarte, A Colado, MV Paolini, G Seminario , J Belén Fernández, L Tau, J Bernatowiez, I Moreira, S Vishnopolska, M Rumbo, C Cassarino, G Vijoditz, AL López, R Curciarello, D Rodríguez, G Rizzo, M Ferreyra, L Ferreyra Mufarregue, MN Badano, MI Pérez Millán, MF Quiroga, P Baré, I Ibañez, R Pozner, M Borge, G Docena, L Bezrodnik, MB Almejun. J Clin Immunol. 2022 Oct 17;1-15. doi: 10.1007/s10875-022-01382-7.
In Vitro Sensitivity to Venetoclax and Microenvironment Protection in Hairy Cell Leukemia. Vereertbrugghen A, Colado A, Gargiulo E, Bezares RF, Fernández Grecco H, Cordini G, Custidiano MDR, François JH, Berchem G, Borge M, Paggetti J, Moussay E, Gamberale R, Giordano M, Morande PE. Front Oncol. 11:598319 (2021). doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.598319.
Immunomodulatory effects of different intravenous immunoglobulin preparations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Colado A, Elías EE, Sarapura Martínez VJ, Cordini G, Morande P, Bezares F, Giordano M, Gamberale R, Borge. Sci Rep. 11(1):12926 (2021). doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92412-8.
Expression and function of cathelicidin hCAP18/LL-37 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Podaza E, Palacios F, Croci DO, Risnik D, Yan XJ, Almejún MB, Colado A, Elías EE, Borge M, Morande PE, Bezares R, Fernández-Grecco H, Rabinovich GA, Gamberale R, Chiorazzi N, Giordano M. Haematologica. 105(9): e465-469 (2020). doi: 10.3324/haematol.2019.227975.
The effect of ibrutinib on neutrophil and γδ T cell functions. Risnik D, Elías EE, Keitelman I, Colado A, Podaza E, Cordini G, Vergara Rubio M, Fernández Grecco H, Bezares RF, Borge M, Trevani A, Giordano M, Jancic C, Gamberale R. Leuk Lymphoma. 19:1-10 (2020). doi: 10.1080/10428194.2020.1753043.
Second generation BTK inhibitors impair the anti-fungal response of macrophages and neutrophils. Colado A, Marín Franco JL, Elías EE, Amondarain M, Vergara Rubio M, Sarapura Martínez V, Cordini G, Fuentes F, Balboa L, Fernandez Grecco H, Pavlovsky M, Bezares F, Morande P, Giordano M, Gamberale R, Borge M. Am J Hematol. 95(7):E174-E178. (2020) doi: 10.1002/ajh.25816
Immunoregulatory effects of Lurbinectedin in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Risnik D, Colado A, Podaza E, Almejún MB, Elías EE, Bezares RF, Fernández-Grecco H, Seija N, Oppezzo P, Borge M, Gamberale R, Giordano M. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 69:813-824, (2020.) doi: 10.1007/s00262-020-02513-y.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells increase neutrophils survival and promote their differentiation into CD16high CD62Ldim immunosuppressive subset. Podaza E, Risnik D, Colado A, Elías E, Almejún MB, Fernandez Grecco H, Bezares RF, Borge M, Gamberale R, Giordano MInt J Cancer. 144:1128-34 (2019). doi: 10.1002/ijc.31762.
Effect of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib on macrophage- and γδ T cell-mediated response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Colado A, Genoula M, Cougoule C, Marín Franco JL, Almejún MB, Risnik D, Kviatcovsky D, Podaza E, Elías EE, Fuentes F, Maridonneau-Parini I, Bezares FR, Fernandez Grecco H, Cabrejo M, Jancic C, Sasiain MDC, Giordano M, Gamberale R, Balboa L, Borge M. Blood Cancer J. 8(11):100 (2018). doi: 10.1038/s41408-018-0136-x.
Autologous T-cell activation fosters ABT-199 resistance in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: rationale for a combined therapy with SYK inhibitors and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. Elías EE, Almejún MB, Colado A, Cordini G, Vergara-Rubio M, Podaza E, Risnik D, Cabrejo M, Fernández-Grecco H, Bezares RF, Custidiano MDR, Sánchez-Ávalos JC, Vicente Á, Garate GM, Borge M, Giordano M, Gamberale R. Haematologica. 103(10):e458-e461. (2018)doi: 10.3324/haematol.2018.188680.

Awards and recognitions