Systemic immunometabolism

The crosstalk between metabolic and immune cells is altered during both cardiometabolic diseases and response to infection, impacting organ-specific functions and systemic glucose/lipid homeostasis by mechanism(s) that remain to be elucidated.

Aim of the research

The prevalence of obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD) and type 2 diabetes is rising in both Western societies and developing countries. In this context, dysfunctions of the immune system play a central role, with chronic low-grade inflammation (“metaflammation”) contributing to development of insulin resistance and impaired metabolic homeostasis. By contrast, infection with parasitic helminths, which are modulating the host immune response through a wide variety of mechanisms, have been shown to dampen metaflammation, highlighting the dual relationship between communicable and non-communicable diseases. Our group mainly focuses on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune-mediated regulation of metabolic homeostasis in the context of obesity, MASLD/MASH, type 2 diabetes and (helminth) infection. Our research aims to identify (parasite-derived) molecules and/or new molecular targets involved in tissue-specific regulation of insulin sensitivity and glucose/lipid metabolism that can lead to future therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of metabolic disorders and hyperinflammatory diseases.

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The prevalence of obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD) and type 2 diabetes is rising in both Western societies and developing countries. In this context, dysfunctions of the immune system play a central role, with chronic low-grade inflammation (“metaflammation”) contributing to development of insulin resistance and impaired metabolic homeostasis. By contrast, infection with parasitic helminths, which are modulating the host immune response through a wide variety of mechanisms, have been shown to dampen metaflammation, highlighting the dual relationship between communicable and non-communicable diseases. Our group mainly focuses on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune-mediated regulation of metabolic homeostasis in the context of obesity, MASLD/MASH, type 2 diabetes and (helminth) infection. Our research aims to identify (parasite-derived) molecules and/or new molecular targets involved in tissue-specific regulation of insulin sensitivity and glucose/lipid metabolism that can lead to future therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of metabolic disorders and hyperinflammatory diseases.

Main research projects

  • Studying the immunometabolic functions of parasite-derived molecules
  • Investigating the role of protein glycosylation in adipocyte-macrophage crosstalk during obesity and infection
  • Developing human liver 3D model(s) for studying the immune response to viral infection in the context of metabolic dysfunctions

Methodology and Tools

  • Murine models of infection and metabolic diseases
  • In vivo metabolic phenotyping platform
  • High dimensional flow cytometry in blood and metabolic organs
  • In vitro (co-)culture systems of primary murine/human metabolic and immune cells
  • Molecular tools for analysis of signalling pathways

Group members

  • Bruno Guigas (Group leader)
  • Joost Lambooij (PhD student)
  • Qianyue Zhang (PhD student)
  • Frank Otto (Technician)
  • Loes Verkade (Technician in training)

Partners / Collaborators

  • Bart Everts (LUCID), Ron Hokke (LUCID), Sebe Myeni (LUCID), Arnaud Zaldumbide (CCB), Noortje de Haan (CPM), Patrick Rensen (ENDO), Martin Giera (CPM), Nathaniel Martin (LIC)

 

 

 

Research clusters

Selected publications