The interplay between diet, immune cells and intestinal microbes ensures vital functions of the organism, such as energy and micronutrient extraction from the diet, protection from pathogenic microbes and maintenance of a healthy epithelial barrier. These complex networks are of vital importance to organismic homeostasis, while inadequate relationships can lead to cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, which are major Public Health concerns.
Adaptive immune lymphocytes express recombining antigen-specific receptors. These lymphocytes are activated by defined antigens and require a differentiation phase before exerting their effector function. In contrast, innate lymphocytes display rapid effector functions despite their set of limited germ-line encoded receptors. A mounting body of evidence indicates that in addition to their well-established developmentally regulated program, immune cells are also controlled by dietary signals and neuronal inputs. Thus, although there is tangible evidence suggesting that immune cells possess unexpected sensing strategies, how lymphoid cells perceive, integrate and respond to environmental cues remains poorly understood and vastly unexplored.
We centre our efforts on defining lymphocyte sensory mechanisms in health and disease. We use an integrative across-level approach aiming to elucidate the tenets of lymphocyte sensing and communication, within, across and beyond the organism.
Overview
Our long-term goal is to understand sensory and communication pathways that determine immune cell fate and disease progression. To achieve this, we centre our efforts at mucosal barriers that constitute the largest interface of the body with the external environment. Epithelial barriers line body surfaces and grant safeguard against harmful pathogens but are frequent targets of oncologic transformation and chronic inflammatory diseases. In this context, we tackle the following hitherto elusive points:
Micronutrient sensing by lymphocytes
We aim to unravel the mechanisms by which micronutrients control mucosal lymphocytes and their interaction with the epithelial barrier and microbiota.
Multi-tissue sensors
We focus on novel sensing programs by which lymphocytes integrate neuron and neuroglia cues, defining key multi-cellular units at the core of mucosal physiology in health and disease.
Neuronal circuits and circadian inputs
We focus on how neuronal circuits and their inputs regulate immune functions in the context of chronic inflammation and cancer.
Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, PhD
Principal Investigator
henrique.veigafernandes@research.fchampalimaud.org
Biography
Lab Administration
Hélder Ribeiro
Lab Manager
helder.ribeiro@research.fchampalimaud.org
Telma Carrilho
Lab Administrator
telma.carrilho@research.fchampalimaud.org
PhD Student
Ana Filipa Cardoso
External PhD Student
ana.cardoso@research.fchampalimaud.org
Rita Domingues
External PhD Student
rita.domingues@research.fchampalimaud.org
Sílvia Madeira
External Student
silvia.madeira@research.fchampalimaud.org
Vânia Cardoso
PhD Student
vania.cardoso@research.fchampalimaud.org
Postdoctoral Fellow
Cristina Godinho da Silva, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
cristina.silva@research.fchampalimaud.org
Julie Chesné, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
julie.chesne@research.fchampalimaud.org
Lília Pedrosa, PhD
Pre-Clinical Scientist
lilia.pedrosa@research.fchampalimaud.org
Manuela Ferreira, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
manuela.ferreira@research.fchampalimaud.org
Technician
Bruno Raposo
Research Technician
bruno.raposo@research.fchampalimaud.org
Miguel Rendas
Research Technician
miguel.rendas@research.fchampalimaud.org
Sara Correia
Technician
sara.correia@research.fchampalimaud.org
Veiga-Fernandes H and Artis D.
(2018)
Neuronal-immune system cross-talk: a new paradigm in physiology
Science
Cardoso V, Chesné J, Ribeiro H, García-Cassani B, Carvalho T, Bouchery T, Shah K, Barbosa-Morais NL, Harris N, Veiga-Fernandes H
(2017)
Neuronal regulation of type 2 innate lymphoid cells via neuromedin U
Nature
549
(7671), 277-281
(doi:10.1038/nature23469)
Veiga-Fernandes H, Freitas AA
(2017)
The S(c)ensory Immune System Theory
Trends in Immunology
(doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.02.007)
Veiga-Fernandes H, Pachnis V
(2017)
Neuroimmune regulation during intestinal development and homeostasis
Nat Immunol
18
(2), 116-122
(doi:10.1038/ni.3634)
Ibiza S, García-Cassani B, Ribeiro H, Carvalho T, Almeida L, Marques R, Misic AM, Bartow-McKenney C, Larson DM, Pavan WJ, Eberl G, Grice EA, Veiga-Fernandes H.
(2016)
Glial-cell-derived neuroregulators control type 3 innate lymphoid cells and gut defence
Nature
535
(7612), 440–443
(doi:10.1038/nature18644)
Veiga-Fernandes H, Mucida D.
(2016)
Neuro-Immune Interactions at Barrier Surfaces.
Cell
165
(4), 801-811
(doi:10.1016/j.cell.2016.04.041)
Veldhoen M, Veiga-Fernandes H
(2015)
Feeding immunity: skepticism, delicacies and delights.
Nat Immunol
16
(3), 215-219
(doi:10.1038/ni.3100)
Fonseca-Pereira, D., Arroz-Madeira, S., Rodrigues-Campos, M., Barbosa, I., Domingues, R.G., Bento, T., Almeida, A.R.M., Ribeiro, H., Potocnik, A., Enomoto, H. and Veiga-Fernandes, H.
(2014)
The neurotrophic factor receptor RET drives haematopoietic stem cell survival and function
Nature
514(7520)
, 98-10
(doi:10.1038/nature13498)
Klose CS, Flach M, Möhle L, Rogell L, Hoyler T, Ebert K, Fabiunke C, Pfeifer D, Sexl V, Fonseca-Pereira D, Domingues RG, Veiga-Fernandes H7, Arnold SJ, Busslinger M, Dunay IR, Tanriver Y, Diefenbach A.
(2014)
Differentiation of Type 1 ILCs from a Common Progenitor to All Helper-like Innate Lymphoid Cell Lineages.
Cell
157
(2), 340-356
(doi:10.1016/j.cell.2014.03.030)
van de Pavert, S. A., M. Ferreira, R. G. Domingues, H. Ribeiro, R. Molenaar, L. Moreira-Santos, F. F. Almeida, S. Ibiza, I. Barbosa, G. Goverse, C. Labao-Almeida, C. Godinho-Silva, T. Konijn, D. Schooneman, T. O'Toole, M. R. Mizee, Y. Habani, E. Haak, F.
(2014)
Maternal retinoids control type 3 innate lymphoid cells and set the offspring immunity.
Nature
508
, 123-127
(doi:10.1038/nature13158)
Veiga-Fernandes, H., Coles, M.C., Foster, K.E., Patel, A., Williams, A., Natarajan, D., Barlow, A., Pachnis, V. and Kioussis, D.
(2007)
Tyrosine kinase receptor Ret is a key regulator in Peyer’s Patch organogenesis.
Nature
446(7135)
, 547-51
(doi:10.1038/nature05597)