Παναγιώτης (Πάνος) Βεργίνης
Our research interests are focused on understanding the mechanism of immune tolerance in health and disease.
Particular emphasis is placed on the cellular and molecular mechanisms dictating regulatory T cell (Tregs) function, metabolism and stability in autoimmunity and cancer.
In addition, we are interested in delineating the role of recessive mechanisms of tolerance imposed by suppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the context of cancer.
Finally, we investigate the mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitors immunotherapy in regards to acquired resistance and development of immune-related adverse events.
Kalafati L, Kourtzelis I, Schulte-Schrepping J, Li X, Hatzioannou A, Grinenko T, Hagag E, Sinha A, Has C, Dietz S, de Jesus Domingues AM, Nati M, Sormendi S, Neuwirth A, Chatzigeorgiou A, Ziogas A, Lesche M, Dahl A, Henry I, Subramanian P, Wielockx B, Murray P, Mirtschink P, Chung KJ, Schultze JL, Netea MG, Hajishengallis G, Verginis P, Mitroulis I, Chavakis T. (2020) Innate Immune Training of Granulopoiesis Promotes Anti-tumor Activity. Cell. 183:771-785.e12.
Alissafi T, Kalafati L, Lazari M, Filia A, Kloukina I, Manifava M, Lim JH, Alexaki VI, Ktistakis NT, Doskas T, Garinis GA, Chavakis T, Boumpas DT, Verginis P. (2020) Mitochondrial oxidative damage underlies regulatory T cell defects in autoimmunity. Cell Metab. 32:591-604.e7.
Hatzioannou A, Banos A, Sakelaropoulos T, Fedonidis C, Vidali MS, Köhne M, Händler K, Boon L, Henriques A, Koliaraki V, Georgiadis P, Zoidakis J, Termentzi A, Beyer M, Chavakis T, Boumpas D, Tsirigos A, Verginis P. (2020) An intrinsic role of IL33 in Treg cell-mediated tumor immunoevasion. Nat Immunol. 21:75-85.
Alissafi T, Hatzioannou A, Mintzas K, Barouni RM, Banos A, Sormendi S, Polyzos A, Xilouri M, Wielockx B, Gogas H, Verginis P. (2018) Autophagy orchestrates the regulatory program of tumor-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells in melanoma. J Clin Invest. 128:3840-3852.
Alissafi T, Banos A, Boon L, Sparwasser T, Ghigo A, Wing K, Vassilopoulos D, Boumpas D, Chavakis T, Cadwell K, Verginis P. (2017) Tregs restrain dendritic cell autophagy to ameliorate autoimmunity. J Clin Invest. 127:2789-2804.
Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=t24qvT0AAAAJ&hl=en
PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=panayotis+Verginis&sort=date
Innate Immune Training of Granulopoiesis Promotes Anti-tumor Activity. Kalafati L, Kourtzelis I, Schulte-Schrepping J, Li X, Hatzioannou A, Grinenko T, Hagag E, Sinha A, Has C, Dietz S, de Jesus Domingues AM, Nati M, Sormendi S, Neuwirth A, Chatzigeorgiou A, Ziogas A, Lesche M, Dahl A, Henry I, Subramanian P, Wielockx B, Murray P, Mirtschink P, Chung KJ, Schultze JL, Netea MG, Hajishengallis G, Verginis P*, Mitroulis I*, Chavakis T*. Cell. 2020 183(3):771-785.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.058. (* Equal contribution)
Mitochondrial oxidative damage underlies regulatory T cell defects in autoimmunity Alissafi T., Kalafati L., Lazari M., Kloukina I., Manifava M., Lim J.-H., Alexaki V.I., Filia A., Ktistakis N.T., Doskas T., Garinis G.A., Chavakis T., Boumpas D.T., Verginis P. Cell Metab. 2020 32(4):591-604.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.07.001
An intrinsic role of IL33 in Treg cell-mediated tumor immunoevasion. Hatzioannou A., Banos A., Sakelaropoulos T. Fedonidis C., Vidali M. Kohene M., Handler K. Boon L., Henriques A., Koliaraki V., Georgiadis P., Zoidakis J., Termentzi A., Beyer M., Chavakis T., Boumpas D., Tsirigos A. and Verginis P. Nat. Immunology 21(1):75-85. 2020, doi: 10.1038/s41590-019-0555-2
Autophagy orchestrates the regulatory program of tumor-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells in melanoma. Alissafi T., Hatzioannou A., Mintzas K., Barouni RM., Banos A., Sormendi S., Polyzos A., Xilouri M., Wielockx B., Gogas H. and Verginis P. J Clin Invest. 128(9):3840-3852. 2018, doi: 10.1172/JCI120888
Tregs restrain dendritic cell autophagy to ameliorate autoimmunity. Alissafi T., Banos A., Boon L., Sparwasser T., Ghigo A., Wing K., Vassilopoulos D., Boumpas D., Chavakis T., Cadwell K. and Verginis P. J Clin Invest.127(7):2789-2804. 2017, doi: 10.1172/JCI92079
IFNα impairs autophagic degradation and promotes the autoreactivity of SLE monocytes through cell-autonomous mitochondrial DNA sensing. Gkirtzimanaki K, Kabrani E, Polyzos A, Blanas A, Sidiropoulos P, Bertsias G, Boumpas DT, Verginis P. Cell Reports 25(4):921-933. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.09.001
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells and T regulatory cells in tumors: unraveling the dark side of the force. Hatzioannou A, Alissafi T, Verginis P. J. Leuko. Biol. 102(2):407-421. 2017, doi: 10.1189/jlb.5VMR1116-493R
Intratumoral accumulation of podoplanin-expressing lymph node stromal cells promote tumor growth through elimination of CD4+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Hatzioannou A., Nayar S., Gaitanis A., Barone F., Anagnostopoulos C. and Verginis P. Oncoimmunology, 5(9):e1216289. 2016, doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2016.1216289
De Novo-Induced Self-Antigen-Specific Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells Impair the Accumulation of Inflammatory Dendritic Cells in Draining Lymph Nodes. Alissafi T., Hatzioannou A., Ioannou M., Sparwasser T., Grün JR., Grützkau A., Verginis P. J Immunol., 194: 5812-5824. 2015, doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1500111