Dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages belong to the monocuclear phagocytic system, and they are involved both in innate and adaptive immunity. These are specialized cells that display numerous functions, partially depending on the existence of different cell subsets. In our laboratory we are interested in assessing the function of some of these human cell subpopulations in different experimental settings. We are studying the differentiation of the two main subpopulations of human blood monocytes (CD14++CD16- y CD14+CD16+) in vitro and in vivo, which are precursors of both DC and macrophages. Additionally, we have performed RNA microarray assays with the monocyte-derived DC and macrophages, and have described several genes that are differentially expressed in certain cell subsets associated with particular functions of these cells.

Another interest of the laboratory is the study of the immunological memory, particularly in its dampening in autoimmune diseases. We generate tolerogenic DC from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and test whether these cells have the ability to suppress the responses against insulin and GAD65 (two diabetogenic antigens) of the memory lymphocytes from the patients.

In summary, the main research topics of the laboratory are the following:

• Differentiation of human monocyte subpopulations in vitro and in vivo.
• Characterization of DC and macrophage subsets derived from human monocytes.
• Differential gene expression between the subsets of human DC and macrophages.
• Macrophages and cancer: evaluation of protein markers associated with pro- and anti-tumoral macrophages in malignant melanoma.
• Study of novel molecules associated with inflammation in human macrophages.
• Induction of tolerance by DC in memory T lymphocytes from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

2014. Segovia-Gamboa N, Rodríguez-Arellano ME, Rangel-Cruz R, Sánchez-Díaz M, Ramírez-Reyes JC, Faradji R, González-Domínguez E, Sánchez-Torres C. Tolerogenic dendritic cells induce antigen-specific hyporesponsiveness in insulin- and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-autorreactive T lymphocytes from type 1 diabetic patients. Clin Immunol. 154: 72-83.

2014. Sierra-Filardi E, Nieto C, Domínguez-Soto A, Barroso R, Sánchez-Mateos P, Puig-Kröger A, López-Bravo M, Ardavín C, Rodríguez-Fernández JL, Sanchez-Torres C, Mellado M, Corbí AL. CCL2 shapes macrophage polarization: identification of CCL2/CCR2-dependent gene expression profile. J. Immunol. 192: 3858-3867.

2014. Samaniego R, Soler-Palacios B, Domínguez-Soto A, Vidal C, Salas A, Matsuyama T, Sánchez-Torres C, de la Torre I, Miranda-Carús ME, Sánchez-Mateos P, Puig-Kröger A. Macrophage uptake and accumulation of folates is polarization-dependent in vitro and in vivo, and is regulated by activin A. J. Leukoc. Biol. 95: 797-808.

2013. González-Pérez G, Segovia N, Rivas-Carvalho A, Reyes DP, Torres-Aguilar H, Aguilar-Ruiz SR, Irles C, Soldevila G, Sánchez-Torres C. Human CD4+ effector T lymphocytes generated upon TCR engagement with self-peptides respond defectively to IL-7 in their transition to memory cells. Cell. Mol. Immunol. 10: 261-274.

2012. Escribese MM, Sierra-Filardi E, Nieto C, Samaniego R, Sánchez-Torres C, Matsuyama T, Calderón-Gómez E, Vega MA, Salas A, Sánchez-Mateos P, Corbí, AL. The prolyl hydroxylase PHD3 identifies pro-inflammatory macrophages and its expression is regulated by Activin A. J. Immunol. 189: 1946-1954.

2011. Aguilar-Ruiz SR, Torres-Aguilar H, González-Domínguez E, Narváez J, González-Pérez G, Vargas-Ayala G, Meraz-Ríos MA, García Zepeda EA, Sánchez-Torres C. Human CD16+ and CD16- monocyte subsets display unique effector properties in inflammatory conditions in vivo. J. Leukoc. Biol. 90: 1119-1131.

2011. Restrepo-Angulo I, Sánchez-Torres C, Camacho J. Human EAG1 potassium channels in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer cells. Anticancer Res. 31: 1265-1270.

2010. Torres-Aguilar H, Aguilar-Ruiz SR, González-Pérez G, Munguía R, Bajaña S, Meraz-Ríos MA, Sánchez-Torres C. Tolerogenic dendritic cells generated with different immunosuppressive cytokines induce antigen-specific anergy and regulatory properties in memory CD4+ T cells. J. Immunol. 184: 1765-1775.

2010. Torres-Aguilar H, Sanchez-Torres C, Jara LJ, Blank M, Shoenfeld Y. IL-10/TGF-β-treated dendritic cells, pulsed with insulin, specifically reduce the response to insulin of CD4+ effector/memory T cells from type 1 diabetic individuals. J. Clin. Immunol. 30: 659-668.