Post-transcriptional regulation of the adaptive immune response and tumorigenesis

Coordinator : M. Diaz Munoz

Scientific objectives


Development of an effective adaptive immune response is essential for fighting infections and for successful vaccination strategies that protect us against common pathogens. Activation of T and B lymphocytes is central in the adaptive immune response, and their differentiation into memory and plasma cells secures long-term life protection. Understanding the genetic mechanisms controlling lymphocyte development and function is the base of our research.
Genetic information encoded by our genes controls all aspects of the immune response. DNA is finely transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) that is then translated into the proteins that modulate immunity. Life of mRNA is complicated. Changes in the nature of its nucleotide sequence as well as changes in mRNA location and stability determine protein abundance and function in immune cells. Timely control of mRNA interaction with RNA binding proteins is essential for mRNA synthesis, editing and translation and for healthy immunity. Our research aims to understand how these RNA binding proteins control fundamental aspects in lymphocyte development and differentiation and how do they prevent T/B- cell tumour transformation. Our research is divided in three main axis.

Our projects


AXIS 1: Understand how post-transcriptional regulation controls the germinal centre reaction

Germinal centres (GCs) are a hallmark in the fight against pathogens but they are also the source of most non- Hodgkin’s B cell lymphomas. GCs are distinctive anatomical structures formed in our secondary immune organs, such as spleen and lymph nodes, upon infection. They are not only sites for B cell clonal expansion but the places where the antibody repertoire diversifies. In GCs, B cells undergo affinity maturation. This is the process by which mutagenesis of the immunoglobulin Ig genes followed by cell selection generate antibody- producing cells and memory B cells that protect us against recurrent infections. Tight modulation of Ig somatic hypermutation and DNA damage repair is essential for antibody production, and miss- targeted mutations can lead to chromosomal translocation and B cell tumor transformation.

Our research combines the use of transgenics mouse models and next generation sequencing technologies to uncover the role of RNA binding proteins during B cell development, GC reactions and antibody production. We investigate how regulation of mRNA splicing and translation affects lymphocyte metabolism fuelling cell lineage commitment, expansion and differentiation in response to model antigens and infections.

AXIS 2: Post-transcriptional mechanisms for oncogene expression during the genotoxic stress response

Understanding how RNA binding proteins enable Ig- class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation in GC B cells while preserving the genome integrity is fundamental in our research. Mutagenesis and DNA repair are highly regulated processes linked to the cell cycle. The existence of different cell cycle checkpoints (at G1, S and M phases) is essential for evaluation and depletion of GC B cells with extensive mutations. RNA binding proteins plays a fundamental role in these processes as they not only control lymphocyte growth and cell cycle progression but also modulate timely translation of key cell cycle checkpoint proteins and DNA damage regulators like p53.

Our research aims to characterise the molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways that modulate mRNA subcellular location and translation of oncogenes in lymphocytes undergoing active processes of class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation. How RNA-binding proteins contribute to the selection of mutated GC B cells producing high-affinity antibodies while preventing B-cell tumour transformation is a major question yet to be answered.

AXIS 3: Post-transcriptional regulation by MAP Kinases in cancer and immune cells

Post-transcriptional control of protein synthesis has emerged as a central regulator of gene expression in cancer. Most oncogenic pathways lead to translational reprogramming of the genome in order to sustain cancer cell proliferation and affect response to treatment. We previously observed a constitutive activation of MEK, as a consequence of MAP3K8 accumulation in 50% ovarian cancers, independently of KRAS or BRAF mutations. We showed that MAP3K8/MEK exhibits pro-tumorigenic functions and we identified a specific MAP3K8/MEK translational program in cancer cells that could modulate host immune anti-tumor response. We are willing to decipher the causes and consequences of MAP3K8/MEK specific translation in cancer cells and assess how this affects to the immune cells in the TME by analyzing: (1) the role of MAP3K8/MEK activation in cancer and immune cells crosstalk; (2) the molecular mechanism(s) by which constitutive MEK activation induces tumor-associated translational reprogramming; (3) the rational of targeting the mRNA translation machinery in ovarian cancer patients with constitutive MEK activation.

AXIS 4: Development of new tools for transcriptome and translatome analysis in lymphocytes

Understanding the complex regulation of lymphocyte development and differentiation requires deep analysis of the cell genome, transcriptome and translatome. The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has led to the definition of networks of mRNA molecules that response similarly to a given stimulus. In these early days, recent technologies are capable of both deciphering the RNA binding properties of hundreds of proteins and identify the set of RNA binding proteins associated to a single transcript, but how this knowledge is translated into regulation of lymphocyte function is under intense scrutiny in our lab.

We now apply NGS methods (iCLIP) to identify physical interactions between RNA binding proteins and their mRNA targets in primary lymphocytes in a global scale. Integration of the protein:RNA interactome with the cell transcriptome and translatome (measured using RiboSeq and Polysome profiling + sequencing) has enable us to uncover key molecular functions of the RNA binding proteins HuR and Tia1 in B lymphocytes. Some of the regulatory functions exerted by these RNA binding proteins over target mRNAs are mediated upon binding to RNA regulatory elements present in the 3’ untranslated region (3’UTR). How HuR and Tia1 binding to 3’UTRs affect mRNA subcellular location, stability and decay are important questions to understand oncogene expression in primary lymphocytes and lymphoma cells.

Other details


Our Team

Our team was established at the CPTP in June 2018. We actively seek to support and recruit young and talented investigators that share our interests in Biomedical Research and Immunology. Informal enquiries will be considered for those wishing to join us. Please send your CV (max. three A4 pages including your scientific contributions) and a cover letter describing your interests by email. Funding options (studentships, fellowships and project-associated work contracts) will be discussed based on candidate’s merits and career expectations.

Publications

2023

Osma-Garcia, Ines C.; Mouysset, Mailys; Capitan-Sobrino, Dunja; Aubert, Yann; Turner, Martin; Diaz-Muñoz, Manuel D.

The RNA binding proteins TIA1 and TIAL1 promote Mcl1 mRNA translation to protect germinal center responses from apoptosis Journal Article

In: Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 2023, ISSN: 2042-0226.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

2022

Matheson, Louise S.; Petkau, Georg; S'aenz-Narciso, Beatriz; D'Angeli, Vanessa; McHugh, Jessica; Newman, Rebecca; Munford, Haydn; West, James; Chakraborty, Krishnendu; Roberts, Jennie; Łukasiak, Sebastian; D'iaz-Muñoz, Manuel D.; Bell, Sarah E.; Dimeloe, Sarah; Turner, Martin

Multiomics analysis couples mRNA turnover and translational control of glutamine metabolism to the differentiation of the activated CD4+ T cell Journal Article

In: Scientific Reports, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 19657, 2022, ISSN: 2045-2322.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Hu, F.; Lu, J.; Matheson, L. S.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Saveliev, A.; Turner, M.

Correction to: ORFLine: a bioinformatic pipeline to prioritize small open reading frames identifies candidate secreted small proteins from lymphocytes Journal Article

In: Bioinformatics, 2022, ISSN: 1367-4811 (Electronic) 1367-4803 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Osma-Garcia, I. C.

The RNA regulatory programs that govern lymphocyte development and function Journal Article

In: Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. e1683, 2022, ISSN: 1757-7012 (Electronic) 1757-7004 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Osma-Garcia, Ines C.; Capitan-Sobrino, Dunja; Mouysset, Mailys; Aubert, Yann; Maloudi, Orlane; Turner, Martin; Diaz-Muñoz, Manuel D.

The splicing regulators TIA1 and TIAL1 are required for the expression of the DNA damage repair machinery during B cell lymphopoiesis Journal Article

In: Cell Reports, vol. 41, no. 12, pp. 111869, 2022, ISSN: 2211-1247.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cacheiro-Llaguno, Cristina; Hernández-Subirá, Elena; Díaz-Muñoz, Manuel D.; Fresno, Manuel; Serrador, Juan M.; Íñiguez, Miguel A.

Regulation of Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Human T Cells by Glucocorticoid Receptor-Mediated Transrepression of Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells Journal Article

In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 23, no. 21, 2022, ISSN: 1422-0067.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

2021

Osma-Garcia, I. C.; Capitan-Sobrino, D.; Mouysset, M.; Bell, S. E.; Lebeurrier, M.; Turner, M.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.

The RNA-binding protein HuR is required for maintenance of the germinal centre response Journal Article

In: Nat Commun, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 6556, 2021, ISSN: 2041-1723 (Electronic) 2041-1723 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Mieulet, V.; Garnier, C.; Kieffer, Y.; Guilbert, T.; Nemati, F.; Marangoni, E.; Renault, G.; Chamming's, F.; Vincent-Salomon, A.; Mechta-Grigoriou, F.

Stiffness increases with myofibroblast content and collagen density in mesenchymal high grade serous ovarian cancer Journal Article

In: Sci Rep, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 4219, 2021, ISSN: 2045-2322 (Electronic) 2045-2322 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Hu, F.; Lu, J.; Matheson, L. S.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Saveliev, A.; Turner, M.

ORFLine: a bioinformatic pipeline to prioritise small open reading frames identifies candidate secreted small proteins from lymphocytes Journal Article

In: Bioinformatics, 2021, ISSN: 1367-4811 (Electronic) 1367-4803 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Boccasavia, V. L.; Bovolenta, E. R.; Villanueva, A.; Borroto, A.; Oeste, C. L.; van Santen, H. M.; Prieto, C.; Alonso-Lopez, D.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Batista, F. D.; Alarcon, B.

Antigen presentation between T cells drives Th17 polarization under conditions of limiting antigen Journal Article

In: Cell Rep, vol. 34, no. 11, pp. 108861, 2021, ISSN: 2211-1247 (Electronic).

Links | BibTeX

Belot, A.; Gourbeyre, O.; Palin, A.; Rubio, A.; Largounez, A.; Besson-Fournier, C.; Latour, C.; Lorgouilloux, M.; Gallitz, I.; Montagner, A.; Polizzi, A.; Regnier, M.; Smati, S.; Zhang, A. S.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Steinbicker, A. U.; Guillou, H.; Roth, M. P.; Coppin, H.; Meynard, D.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress controls iron metabolism through TMPRSS6 repression and hepcidin mRNA stabilization by RNA-binding protein HuR Journal Article

In: Haematologica, vol. 106, no. 4, pp. 1202-1206, 2021, ISSN: 1592-8721 (Electronic) 0390-6078 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2020

Lee, S.; Micalizzi, D.; Truesdell, S. S.; Bukhari, S. I. A.; Boukhali, M.; Lombardi-Story, J.; Kato, Y.; Choo, M. K.; Dey-Guha, I.; Ji, F.; Nicholson, B. T.; Myers, D. T.; Lee, D.; Mazzola, M. A.; Raheja, R.; Langenbucher, A.; Haradhvala, N. J.; Lawrence, M. S.; Gandhi, R.; Tiedje, C.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Sweetser, D. A.; Sadreyev, R.; Sykes, D.; Haas, W.; Haber, D. A.; Maheswaran, S.; Vasudevan, S.

A post-transcriptional program of chemoresistance by AU-rich elements and TTP in quiescent leukemic cells Journal Article

In: Genome Biol, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 33, 2020, ISSN: 1474-760X (Electronic) 1474-7596 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2019

Trulley, P.; Snieckute, G.; Bekker-Jensen, D.; Menon, M. B.; Freund, R.; Kotlyarov, A.; Olsen, J. V.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Turner, M.; Bekker-Jensen, S.; Gaestel, M.; Tiedje, C.

Alternative Translation Initiation Generates a Functionally Distinct Isoform of the Stress-Activated Protein Kinase MK2 Journal Article

In: Cell Rep, vol. 27, no. 10, pp. 2859-2870 e6, 2019, ISSN: 2211-1247 (Electronic).

Links | BibTeX

Gentric, G.; Kieffer, Y.; Mieulet, V.; Goundiam, O.; Bonneau, C.; Nemati, F.; Hurbain, I.; Raposo, G.; Popova, T.; Stern, M. H.; Lallemand-Breitenbach, V.; Muller, S.; Caneque, T.; Rodriguez, R.; Vincent-Salomon, A.; de The, H.; Rossignol, R.; Mechta-Grigoriou, F.

PML-Regulated Mitochondrial Metabolism Enhances Chemosensitivity in Human Ovarian Cancers Journal Article

In: Cell Metab, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 156-173 e10, 2019, ISSN: 1932-7420 (Electronic) 1550-4131 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2018

Turner, M.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.

RNA-binding proteins control gene expression and cell fate in the immune system Journal Article

In: Nat Immunol, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 120-129, 2018, ISSN: 1529-2916 (Electronic) 1529-2908 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Monzon-Casanova, E.; Screen, M.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Coulson, R. M. R.; Bell, S. E.; Lamers, G.; Solimena, M.; Smith, C. W. J.; Turner, M.

The RNA-binding protein PTBP1 is necessary for B cell selection in germinal centers Journal Article

In: Nat Immunol, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 267-278, 2018, ISSN: 1529-2916 (Electronic) 1529-2908 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Mendoza, P.; Martinez-Martin, N.; Bovolenta, E. R.; Reyes-Garau, D.; Hernansanz-Agustin, P.; Delgado, P.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Oeste, C. L.; Fernandez-Pisonero, I.; Castellano, E.; Martinez-Ruiz, A.; Alonso-Lopez, D.; Santos, E.; Bustelo, X. R.; Kurosaki, T.; Alarcon, B.

R-Ras2 is required for germinal center formation to aid B cells during energetically demanding processes Journal Article

In: Sci Signal, vol. 11, no. 532, 2018, ISSN: 1937-9145 (Electronic) 1945-0877 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Givel, A. M.; Kieffer, Y.; Scholer-Dahirel, A.; Sirven, P.; Cardon, M.; Pelon, F.; Magagna, I.; Gentric, G.; Costa, A.; Bonneau, C.; Mieulet, V.; Vincent-Salomon, A.; Mechta-Grigoriou, F.

miR200-regulated CXCL12beta promotes fibroblast heterogeneity and immunosuppression in ovarian cancers Journal Article

In: Nat Commun, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1056, 2018, ISSN: 2041-1723 (Electronic) 2041-1723 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Turner, M.

Uncovering the Role of RNA-Binding Proteins in Gene Expression in the Immune System Journal Article

In: Front Immunol, vol. 9, pp. 1094, 2018, ISSN: 1664-3224 (Print) 1664-3224 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2017

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Monzon-Casanova, E.; Turner, M.

Characterization of the B Cell Transcriptome Bound by RNA-Binding Proteins with iCLIP Journal Article

In: Methods Mol Biol, vol. 1623, pp. 159-179, 2017, ISSN: 1940-6029 (Electronic) 1064-3745 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Kiselev, V. Y.; Le Novere, N.; Curk, T.; Ule, J.; Turner, M.

Tia1 dependent regulation of mRNA subcellular location and translation controls p53 expression in B cells Journal Article

In: Nat Commun, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 530, 2017, ISSN: 2041-1723 (Electronic) 2041-1723 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2016

Tiedje, C.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Trulley, P.; Ahlfors, H.; Laass, K.; Blackshear, P. J.; Turner, M.; Gaestel, M.

The RNA-binding protein TTP is a global post-transcriptional regulator of feedback control in inflammation Journal Article

In: Nucleic Acids Res, vol. 44, no. 15, pp. 7418-40, 2016, ISSN: 1362-4962 (Electronic) 0305-1048 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Galloway, A.; Saveliev, A.; Lukasiak, S.; Hodson, D. J.; Bolland, D.; Balmanno, K.; Ahlfors, H.; Monzon-Casanova, E.; Mannurita, S. C.; Bell, L. S.; Andrews, S.; Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Cook, S. J.; Corcoran, A.; Turner, M.

RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 promote cell quiescence Journal Article

In: Science, vol. 352, no. 6284, pp. 453-9, 2016, ISSN: 1095-9203 (Electronic) 0036-8075 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

2015

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Bell, S. E.; Turner, M.

Deletion of AU-rich elements within the Bcl2 3'UTR reduces protein expression and B cell survival in vivo Journal Article

In: PLoS One, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. e0116899, 2015, ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Diaz-Munoz, M. D.; Bell, S. E.; Fairfax, K.; Monzon-Casanova, E.; Cunningham, A. F.; Gonzalez-Porta, M.; Andrews, S. R.; Bunik, V. I.; Zarnack, K.; Curk, T.; Heggermont, W. A.; Heymans, S.; Gibson, G. E.; Kontoyiannis, D. L.; Ule, J.; Turner, M.

The RNA-binding protein HuR is essential for the B cell antibody response Journal Article

In: Nat Immunol, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 415-25, 2015, ISSN: 1529-2916 (Electronic) 1529-2908 (Linking).

Links | BibTeX

Funding

APPG ANR     01/04/2021 – 31/09/2024

PLBIO INCA Cancer     01/01/2021 – 31/12/2024

ATIP-Avenir, Plan Cancer, CNRS and INSERM      01/01/2018 – 31/12/2022    

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds        01/09/2020 – 31/08/2023 

Ligue contre le cancer    01/10/2021 – 31/12/2022 & 01/10/2020 – 31/12/2021

Media and Public Engagement

twitter.com/DiazMunoz_Lab

Virginie Mieulet in Women in Science Week

 

Programme ATIP - Avenir

Programme ATIP - Avenir

Plan cancer 2014-2019

Plan cancer 2014-2019

INSERM

INSERM

CNRS

CNRS

UT3

UT3

ANR

ANR

L'INCA cancer

L'INCA cancer

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds