Antonios Chatzigeorgiou, Assoc. Professor

Research focus

Our research interests lie in mechanisms perturbing the homeostasis of metabolic organs during the development of obesity/diabetes-related complications and especially during non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH). Specifically, we focus on:

i) The role of immune-parenchymal cell interactions for NAFLD/NASH/HCC progression
ii) Adaptations of parenchymal cells of the liver (e.g. hepatocytes, endothelial cells) during NAFLD/NASH/HCC

iii) NAFLD/NASH and sarcopenia

To do this, we use animal models of disease within the whole spectrum of NAFLD (steatosis/NASH/HCC etc.) and we study pathophysiological mechanisms by utilizing in vivo/ex vivo and in vitro tools (cell culture/co-culture systems, genetically modified mice, human samples) and by applying cutting-edge technologies of biomedical science (omics, CyTOF, spatial phenotyping etc) .

Personnel

Group Leader

Antonios Chatzigeorgiou (BSc, MD, PhD)

Post-doctoral Scientists

Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou (BSc, MSc, PhD )

Rallia-Iliana Velliou (MEng, MPhil, PhD)

PhD Students

Eirini Giannousi (BSc, MSc) – co-supervised PhD student

MSc students

Alicia Šafek (BSc)– co-supervised MSc student

BSc students

Past Members

Stavros-Alexandros Doumas (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation; 2019)

Renata Giagkou (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis; 2020)

Ioannis Ntounias (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation 2021)

Michalina Sikorska (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; MSc Thesis; 2020-2021)

Stamatios Mantikas (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis; 2021)

Katerina Avdi (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; MSc Thesis; 2022-2023)

Maria Tsimpidi (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis; 2022-2023)

Alkistis Papatheodoridi (PhD student, 2019-2022)

Artemis Monogyiou (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation 2024)

Athanasios Emmanouilidis (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation 2024)

Christiana Ralliou (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; MSc Thesis; 2023-2024)

Nikolaos Vlachogiannis (postdoctoral fellow; 2020-2024)

Angeliki Katsarou (PhD student, 2019-2025)

Stamatina Gkika (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis; 2024-2025)

Athanasios Tsiatouras (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis; 2024-2025)

Ioannis I. Moustakas (PhD student, 2019- )

Funding

A. MOST IMPORTANT ORIGINAL ARTICLES (with reverse chronological order)

1. Giannousi E, Georgiadou C, Vlachogiannis NI, Kassi E, Aggeli IK, Sfikakis PP, Tentolouris N, Protogerou AD, Kararigas G, Chatzigeorgiou A. Stabilin-1 levels are related to dysregulated lipid metabolism and atherosclerotic plaque burden. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2025 Dec 1;329(6):H1738-H1744.

2. Chung KJ, Chatzigeorgiou A, Lim JH, Li X, Marava I, ……., Blüher M, Bdeir K, Alexaki VI, Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T. A DEL-1/αvβ3 integrin axis promotes brown adipocyte progenitor proliferation and cold-induced brown adipose tissue adaptation. Mol Metab. 2025 Aug 7;100:102229. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2025.102229.

3. Katsarou A, Papadopoulos G, Moustakas II, Papadopetraki A, Moustogiannis A, Legaki AI, Giannousi E, …….Philippou A, Koutsilieris M, Chatzigeorgiou A. Exercise mitigates liver senescence but does not outmatch dietary restriction in obesity-related MASLD. Metabolism. 2025 Sep;170:156325.

4. Vlachogiannis NI, Legaki AI, Kassi E, Mikelis CM, Tentolouris N, Sfikakis PP, Protogerou AD, Chatzigeorgiou A. Association of Circulating Robo4 with Obesity, Hypertension and Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden. Thromb Haemost. 2025 Aug;125(8):817-820. IF: 4.3

5. Papadopoulos G, Legaki AI, Georgila K, Vorkas P, ………… Panayotou G, Gika H, Samiotaki M, Eliopoulos AG, Chatzigeorgiou A: Integrated omics analysis for characterization of the contribution of high fructose corn syrup to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obesity. Metabolism. 2023 Mar 28;144:155552.

6. Hadjihambi A, Velliou RI, Tsialios P, Legaki AI, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Rouchota MG*

Novel In Vivo Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging Techniques for Assessing the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. J Vis Exp. 2023 Mar 24;(193). *equal last authors

7. Troullinaki M, Chen LS, Witt A, Pyrina I, Phieler J, Kourtzelis I, Chmelar J, Sprott D, Gercken B, Koutsilieris M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A: Robo4-mediated pancreatic endothelial integrity decreases inflammation and islet destruction in autoimmune diabetes. FASEB J 2020 Feb;34:3336-3346.

8. 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,……….Verginis P, Mitroulis I, Chavakis T: Innate Immune Training of Granulopoiesis Promotes Anti-tumor Activity. Cell 2020 Oct 29;183:771-785 e712.

9. Chatzigeorgiou A, Mitroulis I, Chrysanthopoulou A, Legaki AI, Ritis K, Tentolouris N, Protogerou AD, Koutsilieris M, Sfikakis PP: Increased Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Related to Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Thromb Haemost 2020 Nov;120 (11):1587-1589.

10. Nikolakopoulou P, Chatzigeorgiou A, Kourtzelis I, Toutouna L, ……… Chrousos G, Yi CX, García-Cáceres C, Tschöp MH, Bornstein SR, Androutsellis-Theotokis A. Streptozotocin-induced β-cell damage, high fat diet, and metformin administration regulate Hes3 expression in the adult mouse brain. Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 27;8(1):11335.

11. Mitroulis I, Ruppova K, Wang B, Chen LS, Grzybek M, Grinenko T, Eugster A, Troullinaki M, Palladini A, Kourtzelis I, Chatzigeorgiou A, Schlitzer A, Beyer M, ……. Schultze JL, Wielockx B, Zamboni N, Mirtschink P, Coskun Ü, Hajishengallis G, Netea MG, Chavakis T. Modulation of Myelopoiesis Progenitors Is an Integral Component of Trained Immunity. Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):147-161.e12.

12. Chung KJ*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Economopoulou M, Garcia-Martin R, …….. Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T: A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity.

Nat. Immunol 2017;18:654-664 *equal first authors

13. von Loeffelholz C, Lieske S, Neuschäfer-Rube F, Willmes DM, Raschzok N, Sauer IM, König J, Fromm MF, Horn P, Chatzigeorgiou A, Pathe-Neuschäfer-Rube A, …….. , Chavakis T, Püschel GP, Birkenfeld AL. The human longevity gene homolog INDY and interleukin-6 interact in hepatic lipid metabolism. Hepatology. 2017 Aug;66(2):616-630.

14. Chmelar J, Chatzigeorgiou A, Chung KJ, Prucnal M, Voehringer D, Roers A, Chavakis T: No Role for Mast Cells in Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysregulation. Front Immunol 2016 Nov 24;7:524

15. Chatzigeorgiou A, Seijkens T, Zarzycka B, Engel D, Poggi M, van den Berg S, van den Berg S, ………Schally AV, Weber C, Bornstein SR, Nicolaes G, Chavakis T, Lutgens E: Blocking CD40-TRAF6 signaling is a therapeutic target in obesity-associated insulin resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2014 Mar 25;111:2686-2691

16. Chatzigeorgiou A, Chung KJ, Garcia-Martin R, Alexaki VI, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, Phieler J, Sprott D, …… Bornstein SR, Muders MH, Boon L, Karalis KP, Lutgens E, Chavakis T: Dual role of B7 costimulation in obesity-related nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and metabolic dysregulation. Hepatology 2014 Oct;60 (4):1196-1210

17. Chatzigeorgiou A, Kandaraki E, Piperi C, Livadas S, Papavassiliou AG, Koutsilieris M, Papalois A, Diamanti-Kandarakis E: Dietary glycotoxins affect scavenger receptor expression and the hormonal profile of female rats.

J Endocrinol. 2013 Aug 29;218(3):331-7.

18. Phieler J, Chung KJ*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, ………, Mziaut H, Solimena M, Karalis KP, Economopoulou M, Lambris JD, Chavakis T. The complement anaphylatoxin C5a receptor contributes to obese adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance. J Immunol. 2013 Oct 15;191(8):4367-74.

19. Langer HF, Choi EY, Zhou H, Schleicher R, Chung KJ, Tang Z, Gobel K, Bdeir K, Chatzigeorgiou A, Wong C, Bhatia S, Kruhlak MJ, ……. Lambris JD, Li X, Meuth SG, Kubes P, Chavakis T: Platelets contribute to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Circ Res 2012;110:1202-1210

20. Chatzigeorgiou A, Harokopos V, Mylona-Karagianni C, Tsouvalas E, Aidinis V, Kamper EF: The pattern of inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in type 1 diabetic patients over time. Ann Med 2010;42:426-438

B) MOST IMPORTANT REVIEWS

Papadakos SP, Georgiadou C, Kassi E, Velliou RI, Chatzigeorgiou A. Animal models of lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): bridging pathogenesis and novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov. 2025 Dec;20(12):1683-1700.
Velliou R, Legaki AI, Nikolakopoulou P, Vlachogiannis N, Chatzigeorgiou A. Liver endothelial cells in NAFLD and transition to NASH and HCC. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2023 Oct 5;80(11):314.
Legaki AI, Moustakas II, Sikorska M, Papadopoulos G, Velliou RI, Chatzigeorgiou A. Hepatocyte Mitochondrial Dynamics and Bioenergetics in Obesity-Related Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Curr Obes Rep. 2022 Sep;11(3):126-143.
Papatheodoridi AM, Chrysavgis L, Koutsilieris M, Chatzigeorgiou A. The Role of Senescence in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Progression to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Hepatology. 2020 Jan;71(1):363-374.
Chung KJ, Nati M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A. Innate immune cells in the adipose tissue. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2018 Dec;19(4):283-292.
Chatzigeorgiou A, Kandaraki E, Papavassiliou AG, Koutsilieris M. Peripheral targets in obesity treatment: a comprehensive update. Obes Rev. 2014 Jun;15(6):487-503.
Chatzigeorgiou A, Karalis KP, Bornstein SR, Chavakis T. Lymphocytes in obesity-related adipose tissue inflammation. Diabetologia. 2012 Oct;55(10):2583-2592.