Mavragani Kleio, Professor

The aim of the diagnostic and research unit “Molecular Physiology and Clinical Applications” is firstly to characterize novel autoantibodies (related to: myositis, systemic scleroderma, autoimmune hepatopathies) in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, and to further investigate molecular mechanisms that govern the pathogenesis and clinical expression of systemic autoimmune disorders such as Sjögren’s syndrome and related comorbidities (lymphoma, fatigue, subclinical atherosclerosis). Of particular interest is the role of type I interferon activation / B-cell activator (BAFF) axis in systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome, inflammatory myopathies and COVID-19 disease.

In recent years, the research team of the unit “Molecular Physiology and Clinical Applications” has been investigating the role of novel serum autoantibodies in early detection, diagnosis, phenotyping and prognosis of systemic autoimmune diseases that occur with individual organ involvement, such as interstitial lung disease, sicca syndrome, demyelinating lesions of the central nervous system and Raynaud’s phenomenon. During the last 10 years of operation of the research unit, more than 120 scientific papers and chapters have been published in national and international medical journals and books.

 

Selected publications

  • Karathanasis DK, Rapti A, Nezos A, Skarlis C, Kilidireas C, Mavragani CP, Evangelopoulos ME. Differentiating central nervous system demyelinating disorders: The role of clinical, laboratory, imaging characteristics and peripheral blood type I interferon activity. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Aug 12;13:898049.
  • Mavragani CP, Skarlis C, Kostopoulos IV, Maratou E, Moutsatsou P, Terpos E, Tsitsilonis OE, Dimopoulos MA, Sfikakis PP. Distinct type I interferon responses between younger women and older men contribute to the variability of COVID-19 outcomes: Hypothesis generating insights from COVID-19 convalescent individuals. Cytokine. 2022 Sep;157:155964.
  • Georgakopoulou VE, Lembessis P, Skarlis C, Gkoufa A, Sipsas NV, Mavragani CP. Hematological Abnormalities in COVID-19 Disease: Association With Type I Interferon Pathway Activation and Disease Outcomes. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Mar 17;9:850472.
  • Kintrilis N, Gravani F, Rapti A, Papaioannou M, Flessa CM, Nezos A, Antypa E, Papadaki I, Karageorgas T, Moutsopoulos HM, Mavragani CP. Subclinical atherosclerosis profiles in rheumatoid arthritis and primary Sjögren’s syndrome: The impact of BAFF genetic variations. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022 Jun 11:keac337.
  • Flessa CM, Zampeli E, Evangelopoulos ME, Natsis V, Bodewes ILA, Huijser E, Versnel MA, Moutsopoulos HM, Mavragani CP. Genetic Variants of the BAFF Gene and Risk of Fatigue Among Patients With Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome. Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 15;13:836824.
  • Cinoku II, Verrou KM, Piperi E, Voulgarelis M, Moutsopoulos HM, Mavragani CP. Interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene 15: A novel biomarker for lymphoma development in Sjögren’s syndrome. J Autoimmun. 2021 Sep;123:102704.
  • Mavragani CP, Kirou KA, Nezos A, Seshan S, Wild T, Wahl SM, Moutsopoulos HM, Crow MK. Expression of APOBEC family members as regulators of endogenous retroelements and malignant transformation in systemic autoimmunity. Clin Immunol. 2021 Feb;223:108649.
  • Nezos A, Skarlis C, Psarrou A, Markakis K, Garantziotis P, Papanikolaou A, Gravani F, Voulgarelis M, Tzioufas AG, Koutsilieris M, Moutsopoulos HM, Kotsifaki E, Mavragani CP. Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2: A Novel Contributor in Sjögren’s Syndrome-Related Lymphoma? Front Immunol. 2021 Jun 18;12:683623.
  • Theodorou E, Nezos A, Antypa E, Ioakeimidis D, Koutsilieris M, Tektonidou M, Moutsopoulos HM, Mavragani CP. B-cell activating factor and related genetic variants in lupus related atherosclerosis. J Autoimmun. 2018 Aug;92:87-92.
  • Mavragani CP, Nezos A, Sagalovskiy I, Seshan S, Kirou KA, Crow MK. Defective regulation of L1 endogenous retroelements in primary Sjogren’s syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus: Role of methylating enzymes. J Autoimmun. 2018 Mar;88:75-82.
  • Mavragani CP, Sagalovskiy I, Guo Q, Nezos A, Kapsogeorgou EK, Lu P, Liang Zhou J, Kirou KA, Seshan SV, Moutsopoulos HM, Crow MK. Expression of Long Interspersed Nuclear Element 1 Retroelements and Induction of Type I Interferon in Patients With Systemic Autoimmune Disease. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 Nov;68(11):2686-2696.
  • Ekholm L, Vosslamber S, Tjärnlund A, de Jong TD, Betteridge Z, McHugh N, Plestilova L, Klein M, Padyukov L, Voskuyl AE, B ultink IE, Michiel Pegtel D, Mavragani CP, Crow MK, Vencovsky J, Lundberg IE, Verweij CL. Autoantibody Specificities and Type I Interferon Pathway Activation in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies. Scand J Immunol. 2016 Aug;84(2):100-9.
  • Karageorgas T, Fragioudaki S, Nezos A, Karaiskos D, Moutsopoulos HM, Mavragani CP. Fatigue in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: Clinical, Laboratory, Psychometric, and Biologic Associations. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016 Jan;68(1):123-31.
  • Nezos A, Gravani F, Tassidou A, Kapsogeorgou EK, Voulgarelis M, Koutsilieris M, Crow MK, Mavragani CP. Type I and II interferon signatures in Sjogren’s syndrome pathogenesis: Contributions in distinct clinical phenotypes and Sjogren’s related lymphomagenesis. J Autoimmun. 2015 Sep;63:47-58.
  • Papageorgiou A, Mavragani CP, Nezos A, Zintzaras E, Quartuccio L, De Vita S, Koutsilieris M, Tzioufas AG, Moutsopoulos HM, Voulgarelis M. A BAFF receptor His159Tyr mutation in Sjögren’s syndrome-related lymphoproliferation. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015 Oct;67(10):2732-41.
  • Nezos A, Papageorgiou A, Fragoulis G, Ioakeimidis D, Koutsilieris M, Tzioufas AG, Moutsopoulos HM, Voulgarelis M, Mavragani CP. B-cell activating factor genetic variants in lymphomagenesis associated with primary Sjogren’s syndrome. J Autoimmun. 2014 Jun; 51:89-98.

 

Current Research Group

Scientific Associates

Χαράλαμπος Σκαρλής, Pharm.D, MSc, PhD

Νικόλαος Μαρκέτος MD, MSc, PhD

 

 

PhD candidates

Λάμπρος Αθανασίου, MD

Νικολέτα Γαλανοπούλου, MD

Μαρία Γεροχρήστου, MD

Φωτεινή Γραβάνη, MD

Δημήτριος Καραθανάσης, MD

Βασιλική Κουλούρη MD, MSc

Νικόλαος Μιχαλακέας, MD

Άννα Ράπτη, MD

Σύλβια Ραφτοπούλου, BSc, MSc

Ρουμπίνη Σμέρλα, MD

Χρήστος Τσιρώνης, MD

Ηλίας Τσινόκου, MD

Χριστίνα Φλέσσα BSc, MSc

 

Previous research associates/PhDs

Παναγιώτης Λεμπέσης, ΒSc, PhD

Αδριανός Νέζος, BSc, MSc, PhD

Μυρτώ Παπαιωάννου ΒSc, PhD

Nικόλαος Πισιμίσης, BSc, PhD

Ευαγγελία Αργυρίου, MD, PhD

Μάιρα Γιαννέλου, MD , PhD

Ευάγγελος Θεοδώρου, MD, PhD

Φάνης Καραγέωργας, MD, PhD

Νικόλαος Κίντριλης, MD, PhD

Νικόλαος Μαρκέτος, MD , PhD

Σοφία Φραγκιουδάκη, MD, PhD