George Bertsias

Associate Professor in Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Univ. of Crete

The Systemic Autoimmunity and Gene Regulation Group at the Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation explores cellular and molecular pathways implicated in dysregulated immune and inflammatory responses, tissue injury and repair in the context of autoimmune diseases using systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a prototype disorder. Our Group works together with the Clinical Research Unit at the University Hospital and has access to well-characterized, longitudinal patient cohorts and tissue biorepositories. Using both human samples and animal models of lupus autoimmunity, we investigate innate and adaptive immune responses under the premise that they share common effector pathways for tissue injury.

Through both hypothesis-driven and unsupervised (next-generation RNA and DNA sequencing) approaches, the laboratory explores mechanisms (genetic, epigenetic, metabolic) underlying functional perturbations in specific immune cell types (monocytes, neutrophils). We seek to delineate the molecular basis of autoimmunity endotypes (such as gender bias) and progression, and to identify novel therapies, biomarkers for diagnosis and response to existing biological agents. We participate in the Graduate Programs of Molecular Biology and Biomedicine and Molecular Basis of Human Disease, as well as in local and international consortia in the context of competitive translational research projects.

Selected Publications
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Kosmara D, Papanikolaou S, Nikolaou C, Bertsias G. (2023) Extensive Alternative Splicing Patterns in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Highlight Sexual Differences. Cells. 12:2678.

Garantziotis P, Nikolakis D, Doumas S, Frangou E, Sentis G, Filia A, Fanouriakis A, Bertsias G, Boumpas DT. (2022) Molecular Taxonomy of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Through Data-Driven Patient Stratification: Molecular Endotypes and Cluster-Tailored Drugs. Front Immunol. 13:860726.

Georgakis S, Gkirtzimanaki K, Papadaki G, Gakiopoulou H, Drakos E, Eloranta ML, Makridakis M, Kontostathi G, Zoidakis J, Baira E, Rönnblom L, Boumpas DT, Sidiropoulos P, Verginis P, Bertsias G. (2021) NETs decorated with bioactive IL-33 infiltrate inflamed tissues and induce IFN-α production in patients with SLE. JCI Insight. 6: e147671.

Adamichou C, Genitsaridi I, Nikolopoulos D, Nikoloudaki M, Repa A, Bortoluzzi A, Fanouriakis A, Sidiropoulos P, Boumpas DT, Bertsias GK. (2021) Lupus or not? SLE Risk Probability Index (SLERPI): a simple, clinician-friendly machine learning-based model to assist the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis. 80: 758-766.

Ntasis VF, Panousis NI, Tektonidou MG, Dermitzakis ET, Boumpas DT, Bertsias GK, Nikolaou C. (2020) Extensive fragmentation and re-organization of transcription in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Sci Rep. 10:16648.

Pitsigavdaki S, Nikoloudaki M, Garantziotis P, Silvagni E, Repa A, Marangoni A, Flouri I, Avgoustidis N, Parperis K, Fanouriakis A, Govoni M, Sidiropoulos P, Boumpas DT, Bortoluzzi A, Bertsias G. (2024) Pragmatic targets for moderate/severe SLE and their implications for clinical care and trial design: sustained DORIS or LLDAS for at least 6 months is sufficient while their attainment for at least 24 months ensures high specificity for damage-free progression. Ann Rheum Dis. doi:ard-2023-224919

Emmanouilidou E, Kosmara D, Papadaki E, Mastorodemos V, Constantoulakis P, Repa A, Christopoulou G, Kalpadakis C, Avgoustidis N, Thomas K, Boumpas D, Sidiropoulos P, Bertsias G. (2023) Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Consequence of Patient-Intrinsic or -Extrinsic Factors? J Clin Med. 12: 6945.

Frangou E, Garantziotis P, Grigoriou M, Banos A, Nikolopoulos D, Pieta A, Doumas SA, Fanouriakis A, Hatzioannou A, Manolakou T, Alissafi T, Verginis P, Athanasiadis E, Dermitzakis E, Bertsias G, Filia A, Boumpas DT. (2022) Cross-species transcriptome analysis for early detection and specific therapeutic targeting of human lupus nephritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 81: 1409-1419.

Kirino Y, Bertsias G, Ishigatsubo Y, Mizuki N, Tugal-Tutkun I, Seyahi E, Ozyazgan Y, Sacli FS, Erer B, Inoko H, Emrence Z, Cakar A, Abaci N, Ustek D, Satorius C, Ueda A, Takeno M, Kim Y, Wood GM, Ombrello MJ, Meguro A, Gul A, Remmers EF, Kastner DL. (2013) Genome-wide association analysis identifies new susceptibility loci for Behcet's disease and epistasis between HLA-B*51 and ERAP1. Nat Genet. 45:202-7.

Nikoloudaki M, Nikolopoulos D, Koutsoviti S, Flouri I, Kapsala N, Repa A, Katsimbri P, Theotikos E, Pitsigavdaki S, Pateromichelaki K, Bertsias A, Elezoglou A, Sidiropoulos P, Fanouriakis A, Boumpas D, Bertsias G. (2023) Clinical response trajectories and drug persistence in systemic lupus erythematosus patients on belimumab treatment: A real-life, multicentre observational study. Front Immunol. 13: 1074044

Kostopoulou M, Ugarte-Gil MF, Pons-Estel B, van Vollenhoven RF, Bertsias G (2022). The association between lupus serology and disease outcomes: A systematic literature review to inform the treat-to-target approach in systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus. 31(3): 307-318.

Gkirtzimanaki K, Kabrani E, Nikoleri D, Polyzos A, Blanas A, Sidiropoulos P, Makrigiannakis A, Bertsias G, Boumpas DT, Verginis P (2018). IFNα Impairs Autophagic Degradation of mtDNA Promoting Autoreactivity of SLE Monocytes in a STING-Dependent Fashion. Cell Rep. 25(4): 921-933.e5.

Stathopoulou C, Nikoleri D, Bertsias G (2019). Immunometabolism: an overview and therapeutic prospects in autoimmune diseases. Immunotherapy. 11(9): 813-829.

Antypa D, Simos NJ, Kavroulakis E, Bertsias G, Fanouriakis A, Sidiropoulos P, Boumpas D, Papadaki E (2021). Anxiety and depression severity in neuropsychiatric SLE are associated with perfusion and functional connectivity changes of the frontolimbic neural circuit: a resting-state f(unctional) MRI study. Lupus Sci Med. 8(1): e000473.

Ruiz-Irastorza G, Bertsias G (2020). Treating systemic lupus erythematosus in the 21st century: new drugs and new perspectives on old drugs. Rheumatology (Oxford). 59(Suppl5): v69-v81.

Panousis NI, Bertsias GK, Ongen H, Gergianaki I, Tektonidou MG, Trachana M, Romano-Palumbo L, Bielser D, Howald C, Pamfil C, Fanouriakis A, Kosmara D, Repa A, Sidiropoulos P, Dermitzakis ET, Boumpas DT. (2019) Combined genetic and transcriptome analysis of patients with SLE: distinct, targetable signatures for susceptibility and severity. Ann Rheum Dis. 78: 1079-1089.

Krasoudaki E, Banos A, Stagakis E, Loupasakis K, Drakos E, Sinatkas V, Zampoulaki A, Papagianni A, Iliopoulos D, Boumpas DT, Bertsias GK. (2016) Micro-RNA analysis of renal biopsies in human lupus nephritis demonstrates up-regulated miR-422a driving reduction of kallikrein-related peptidase 4. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 31:1676-86.

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