Χατζηγεωργίου Αντώνιος, Αναπλ. Καθηγητής

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 and steatohepatitis. Specifically, we focus on the role of

i) Inflammation and immune-parenchymal cell interactions and
ii) Adaptations of parenchymal cells of metabolic organs (and mainly those of the liver e.g. hepatocytes, endothelial cells)
during nutrient/lipid overload and metabolic stress.

 

To do this, we use animal models of disease within the whole spectrum of obesity and NAFLD (hepatic 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)
Nikolaos I. Vlachogiannis (MD, PhD)

PhD Students

Ioannis I. Moustakas (BSc, MSc, MD)
Aigli-Ioanna Legaki (BSc, MSc)
Grigorios Papadopoulos (BSc, MSc)
Angeliki Katsarou (MD, MSc)
Gesthimani (Mania) Kakavouli (BSc, MSc )

MSc students

Katerina Avdi (BSc)
Eirini Giannousi (BSc)
Maria Tsimpidi (BSc)

Past Members

Stavros-Alexandros Doumas (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation)
Renata Giagkou (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis)
Ioannis Ntounias (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation)
Michalina Sikorska (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; MSc Thesis)
Alkistis Papatheodoridi (PhD student )

 

Funding

 

Funding BodyRole in the projectExecution period

MeDDrive-Start Grant – Medical Faculty of University of Dresden, Germany

Title: The role of CD28 in obesity-related insulin resistance

Note: (Ranked 1st  in the selection process)

 

PI

 

2015-2016

German Research Foundation (DFG)

Title: Crosstalk between Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells and Type 2 Immunity in Maintaining Adipose Tissue Homeostasis

 

PI

 

2017-2020

German Research Foundation (DFG)

Title: Co-stimulatory interactions in the development of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Liver Fibrosis

 

PI

 

2018-2021

Hellenic Association for the Study of Liver

Title: Epigenetic regulation of NAFLD-related senescence

 

PI

 

2019-2021

European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes

Title: Immune regulation of cardiometabolic disease in obesity-induced diabetes

 

PI

 

2019-2021

Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI)

Title: Robo4 as regulator and biomarker of obesity-related adipose tissue dysfunction and insulin resistance

 

PI

 

2020-2023

Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI)

Title: Immunometabolic regulation of hematopoietic stem cell niche in myelodysplasia and ageing

 

Co-PI

 

2020-2023

Taconic Biosciences Academic Grant Program

Title: In vivo imaging for non-invasive characterization of NAFLD/NASH progression

 

PI

 

2021-2022

 

 

Selected publications

 

1. Moustakas II, Katsarou A, Legaki AI, Pyrina I, Ntostoglou K, Papatheodoridi AM, Gercken B, Pateras IS, Gorgoulis VG, Koutsilieris M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A.
Hepatic Senescence Accompanies the Development of NAFLD in Non-Aged Mice Independently of Obesity.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 26;22(7):3446.

2. 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, ……….Hajishengallis G, Verginis P, Mitroulis I, Chavakis T.
Cell. 2020 Oct 29;183(3):771-785.e12.

3. 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.

4. 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(2):3336-3346.

5. 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.

6. Mitroulis I, Ruppova K, Wang B, Chen LS, Grzybek M, Grinenko T, Eugster A, Troullinaki M, Palladini A, Kourtzelis I, Chatzigeorgiou A, Schlitzer A, ……… 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.

7. Chatzigeorgiou A*, Chung KJ*, Economopoulou M, Garcia-Martin R, Alexaki VI, Mitroulis I, Nati M, Gebler J, Ziemssen T, Goelz SE, Phieler J, Lim JH, Karalis KP, Papayannopoulou T, Blüher M, Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T. A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity.
Nature Immunology 2017 Jun;18(6):654-664.

8. Chmelař 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.

9. Chatzigeorgiou A, Chung KJ, Garcia-Martin R, Alexaki VI, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, Phieler J, Sprott D, Kanczkowski W, Tzanavari T, Bdeir M, Bergmann S, Cartellieri M, Bachmann M, Nikolakopoulou P, Androutsellis-Theotokis A, Siegert G, 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):1196-210.

10. Chatzigeorgiou A, Seijkens T, Zarzycka B, Engel D, Poggi M, van den Berg S, van den Berg S, Soehnlein O, Winkels H, Beckers L, Lievens D, Driessen A, Kusters P, Biessen E, Garcia-Martin R, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, Gijbels M, Noelle R, Boon L, Hackeng T, Schulte KM, Xu A, Vriend G, Nabuurs S, Chung KJ, Willems van Dijk K, Rensen PC, Gerdes N, de Winther M, Block NL, 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 U S A. 2014 Feb 18;111(7):2686-91.

11. Phieler J, Chung KJ*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, Garcia-Martin R, Sprott D, Moisidou M, Tzanavari T, ……..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.

12. Chatzigeorgiou A, Phieler J, Gebler J, Bornstein SR, Chavakis T. CD40L stimulates the crosstalk between adipocytes and inflammatory cells.
Horm Metab Res. 2013 Sep;45(10):741-7.

13. 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.

14. Chatzigeorgiou A*, Kanczkowski W*, Grossklaus S, Sprott D, Bornstein SR, Chavakis T. Role of the endothelial-derived endogenous anti-inflammatory factor Del-1 in inflammation-mediated adrenal gland dysfunction.
Endocrinology. 2013 Mar;154(3):1181-9.

15. 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 Sep;42(6):426-38.