Normal and pathological hematopoiesis

...

Michaela Fontenay

Team leader

Yannick Simoni

Team co-director CRCN INSERM

Stéphanie CHAMBAUD

Research themes

Research themes

The research team investigates the cellular mechanisms at the origin of myeloid malignancies (acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic neoplasms) including the anomalies of metabolic pathways, post-transcriptional regulations of gene expression (splicing, translation…) and bone marrow microenvironment.

  • Acute myeloid leukemia
  • Myelodysplastic neoplasms

Research areas

Identification of dysfunctions in mitochondrial dynamics and cell death pathways in acute myeloid leukemias. Ferroptosis is a pathway of regulated cell death induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Its targeting has emerged as a promising therapeutical strategy in AML. Ferroptosis is functionally related to mitochondria dynamics and mitophagy. The objective of this axis is to characterize the molecular and metabolic determinants of sensitivity to ferroptosis in distinct subgroups of AML.

Identification and functional characterization of anomalies in RNA splicing, translation and decay in AML and myelodysplastic neoplasms. Post-transcriptional regulations of gene expression contribute to leukemic cell reprogramming and resistance to treatments. The objectives of this axis are (i) to identify neo-antigens generated by splicing aberrancies and characterize the lymphocyte T CD8 immune response, and (ii) to identify protein expression bias due to RNA selective translation or decay and draw the consequences on leukemic cell biology and sensitivity to treatments.

Study of functional interactions between leukemic cells and their microenvironment. Mesenchymal stroma cells of the microenvironment are implicated in the maintenance of an inflammatory state of the bone marrow facilitating the emergence and progression of myelodysplastic neoplasms including VEXAS syndrome and AML. The contribution of immune cells still remains elusive. The objectives of this axis are (i) to study metabolic interactions between leukemic and stromal cells conferring resistances to treatments both in vitro and in vivo via ossicles mimicking humanized bone marrow niche in mice and (ii) to decipher the pro-inflammatory role of T CD8 lymphocytes.

Team members

SIMONI Yannick
Team co-director CRCN INSERM
FONTENAY Michaela
Team director, PU-PH
BOUSCARY Didier
PU-PH
LEVAVASSEUR Françoise
IR INSERM
KOSMIDER Olivier
PU-PH
CHAPUIS Nicolas
MCU-PH
BIRSEN Rudy
MCU-PH
BOUSSAID Ismael
PHU
GUEDON Axelle
AI
ROMBAUT David
IE bioinformatician CDD
TOURVILLE Aurore
IE CDD
ZUBAIDAN Tuerdi
Post-doc
AZIEZ Lisa
Post-doc
MUKHERJEE Devdeep
Post-doc
RACHED Tony
Doctorant
DEREDEC Nicolas
Doctorant
CHABBANE Thella
Doctorant
CERQUIDO Elody
Doctorant
MOLINA Sebastian
Doctorant
FRIEDRICH Chloé
PH
DECROOCQ Justine
PH
WILLEMS Lise
PH
ALMIRE Carole
PH
CADRO Vincent
AHU

Scientific publications

C/EBPα Confers Dependence to Fatty Acid Anabolic Pathways and Vulnerability to Lipid Oxidative Stress-Induced Ferroptosis in FLT3-Mutant Leukemia

C/EBPα Confers Dependence to Fatty Acid Anabolic Pathways and Vulnerability to Lipid Oxidative Stress-Induced Ferroptosis in FLT3-Mutant Leukemia

Marie Sabatier & al, Cancer Discov, 2023
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VEXAS syndrome is characterized by inflammasome activation and monocyte dysregulation (en translation)

VEXAS syndrome is characterized by inflammasome activation and monocyte dysregulation

Olivier Kosmider & al, Nat Commun., 2024
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Accelerated DNA replication fork speed due to loss of R-loops in myelodysplastic syndromes with SF3B1 mutation

Accelerated DNA replication fork speed due to loss of R-loops in myelodysplastic syndromes with SF3B1 mutation

David Rombaut & al, Nat Commun., 2024
Lire la publication

Industrial partners

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Academic and charitable funding

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