NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES / Immunology
Research Interests
Cross-talk between myeloid cells and cancer cells during lung cancer progression, cell biology of cross-presentation by type 1 dendritic cells in cancer.
Description of Research
Our research aims to unravel the fundamental mechanisms governing the interplay between myeloid cells and cancer cells in tumor tissues. Using genetic models of experimental lung cancer and 3D models that recapitulate the immune environment of the human disease, we address specific questions related to myeloid-cancer cells cross-talk along tumor progression with a special focus on the early events of tumor initiation. By combining tissue imaging, flow cytometry and functional assays, our goal is to identify novel targetable axes to leverage the immunostimulatory properties of myeloid cells.
Recent Publications
Lopez, L., L.G. Morosi, F. La Terza, P. Bourdely, G. Rospo, R. Amadio, G.M. Piperno, V. Russo, C. Volponi, S. Vodret, S. Joshi, F. Giannese, D. Lazarevic, G. Germano, P. Stoitzner, A. Bardelli, M. Dalod, L. Pace, N. Caronni, P. Guermonprez, and F. Benvenuti. 2024. Dendritic cell-targeted therapy expands CD8 T cell responses to bona-fide neoantigens in lung tumors. Nat Commun. 15:2280.
Joshi, S., L. Lopez, L.G. Morosi, R. Amadio, M. Pachauri, M. Bestagno, I.P. Ogar, M. Giacca, G.M. Piperno, D. Vorselen, and F. Benvenuti. 2024. Tim4 enables large peritoneal macrophages to cross-present tumor antigens at early stages of tumorigenesis. Cell Rep. 43:114096.
Morosi, L.G., G.M. Piperno, L. Lopez, R. Amadio, S. Joshi, A. Rustighi, G. Del Sal, and F. Benvenuti. 2024. ALCAM-mediated cDC1 CD8 T cells interactions are suppressed in advanced lung tumors. Oncoimmunology. 13:2367843.
Alraies, Z., C.A. Rivera, M.G. Delgado, D. Sanseau, M. Maurin, R. Amadio, G. Maria Piperno, G. Dunsmore, A. Yatim, L. Lacerda Mariano, A. Kniazeva, V. Calmettes, P.J. Saez, A. Williart, H. Popard, M. Gratia, O. Lamiable, A. Moreau, Z. Fusilier, L. Crestey, B. Albaud, P. Legoix, A.S. Dejean, A.L. Le Dorze, H. Nakano, D.N. Cook, T. Lawrence, N. Manel, F. Benvenuti, F. Ginhoux, H.D. Moreau, P.F.N. G, M. Piel, and A.M. Lennon-Dumenil. 2024. Cell shape sensing licenses dendritic cells for homeostatic migration to lymph nodes. Nat Immunol. 25:1193-1206.
Simoncello F, Piperno GM, Caronni N, Amadio R, Cappelletto A, Canarutto G, Piazza S, Bicciato S, Benvenuti F. “CXCL5-mediated accumulation of mature neutrophils in lung cancer tissues impairs the differentiation program of anticancer CD8 T cells and limits the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors”. Oncoimmunology. 2022 Apr 7;11(1):2059876. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2022.2059876. PMID: 35402081; PMCID: PMC8993093.
Caronni N, Piperno GM, Simoncello F, Romano O, Vodret S, Yanagihashi Y, Dress R, Dutertre CA, Bugatti M, Bourdeley P, Del Prete A, Schioppa T, Mazza EMC, Collavin L, Zacchigna S, Ostuni R, Guermonprez P, Vermi W, Ginhoux F, Bicciato S, Nagata S, Benvenuti F. “TIM4 expression by dendritic cells mediates uptake of tumor-associated antigens and anti-tumor responses”. Nat Commun. 2021 Apr 14;12(1):2237. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22535-z. PMID: 33854047; PMCID: PMC8046802.
Group Leader
Federica Benvenuti
ICGEB Trieste, Italy
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +39-040-3757389
Group Leader CV
Group Members
Marco Bestagno, Scientific Expert
Giulia Maria Piperno, Research Associate
Lucia Ines Lopez Rodriguez, Research Scientist
Giorgio Anselmi, Research Scientist
Aprajita Sinha, PhD Student
Abolaji Samson Olagunju, PhD Student
Giulia Bracchetti, Graduate Student
Emma Dalla Mora, Graduate Student
Gabriele De Losa, Graduate Student
Chiara Scremin, Graduate Student (UniTS)