EA2216 – "Immunology, Pathology and Immunotherapy"

Team description

Our group, EA2216 « Immunology, Pathology and Immunotherapy », is composed of Immunologists, Clinical Hematologists, Nephrologists and Rheumatologists. The group is specialized in B cell lymphocytes with several approaches from the fundamental (CD5 B cells, regulatory B cells and epigenetics), to the clinical (chronic lymphocytic leukemia, graft rejection and autoimmunity), and the therapeutic point of view (anti-B cell treatment optimization). The group is one of the partners of the Labex IGO (Immunotherapy Grand Ouest).

Although B cell calcium dysregulation is central in all our three approaches, understanding of the exact mechanisms remains to be explored with applications in the management of patients as well as new therapeutic opportunities.

Role in the network

Our team is involved in the chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) project from the relation between STIM1/Orai and CD5 (task 1), to the evaluation of STIM1 and Orai1/3 in the prognosis and therapeutic response in CLL (task 2), and to the development of STIM1/ORAI inhibitors by virtual screening (task 3) and its evaluation in leukemic in vitro and in vivo calcium models (task 5).

Co-coordinator of task 2 – Yves Renaudineau : Clinical relevance of SK3 and Calcium channels

Involvement in tasks 1, 2, 3, 5

  Role of Ca2+ and SK3 channels in cancer cell migration and survival : Links between STIM1/Orai and CD5 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Characterizing the involvement of Orai, TRPC1/4 and STIM in modulation of Ca2+ signalization in CLL.

  Clinical relevance of SK3 and Calcium channels (on human tumors) : demonstrate the contribution of these channels or signalplex as new pronostic biomarkers and to evaluate their impact on the therapeutic response or drug side-effects in CLL.

  Discovery of SK3 and SOC modulators: in silico screening. 

  In vitro and in vivo evaluation of compounds: CLL models.