Laboratorio de Fagocitosis y Transporte Intracelular
Phagocytosis and Intracellular Trafficking

Instituto/Facultad: IHEM - CONICET - Facultad de Ciencias Médicas - Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (School of Medicine, National University of Cuyo)

Principal Investigator: María Teresa Damiani, PhD

Position: Associate Researcher, National Council of Research, Science and Technology CONICET (Investigador Adjunto, CONICET; Investigador Categoría II UNCuyo)
Associate Professor at the Department of Morpho-Physiology, School of Medicine, National University of Cuyo (Profesor Adjunto de Química Biológica, FCM, UNCuyo)

Contact Information

Phone: 54-261-413-5000, ext 2724

Fax: 54-261-449-4117

E-mail: tdamiani@fcm.uncu.edu.ar

Address: Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza
Cátedra de Química Biológica
Facultad de Medicina
Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
PO BOX 56
Centro Universitario
5500- Ciudad de Mendoza
Mendoza

Research Interests:

Our laboratory studies the molecular machinery involved in phagocytosis and phagosome maturation. Macrophages and specialized cells engulf large extracellular particles, microorganisms and senescent cells by a receptor-mediated process known as phagocytosis. Phagosome biogenesis involves the formation of an actin network that pushes the plasma membrane around the particle. Following internalization, phagosome continues to mature, changing its composition by acquiring and releasing specific molecules. By fusion and fission events, phagosome remodels itself and acquires the ability to degrade internalized material. Membrane and protein recycling as well as fission events are relevant to phagosome maturation and antigen presentation. Recycling from the phagosomal compartment may also be an important source for the replenishment of plasma membrane internalized during phagocytosis. However, little is known about the molecules that regulate the phagosomal/recycling pathway. Monomeric GTPases of the Rab family are essential elements of the machinery controlling membrane traffic. Recently, an extensive group of Rab interacting proteins has been described. Our goal is to study the involvement of GTPases, their interacting molecules and the actin cytoskeleton during phagosome maturation. Some microbes subvert normal phagocytic pathway as a strategy to survive inside cells. Many host cell functions, including vesicular trafficking and cytoskeletal rearrangements are exploited by pathogenic microorganisms. The intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis manipulates host cell machinery to generate a large replicative niche favorable for its replication. The host molecules required for the biogenesis of the "Chlamydia inclusion" is poorly understood. The knowledge of the molecular machinery that rules phagosome maturation will be useful to recognize the tactics evolved by pathogens to evade intracellular degradation. The understanding of host-microbe interactions may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies (alternative to conventional antibiotics) more effective in controlling infectious diseases.

Group members:
Martín Pavarotti (Doctoral fellowship, CONICET; Teaching Assistant, FCM)
Natalia Leiva (Doctoral fellowship, CONICET; Teaching Assistant, ICB)
Anahí Capmany (Doctoral fellowship, CONICET)

Left to right: Martín, Natalia, Teresa, Anahí, Cristián

Mentoring/Student supervision (current):

- Thesis advisor, Martín Pavarotti (MS, Biochemistry). Ph.D. student in PROBIOL (Postgraduate Program in Biology), National University of Cuyo. Recipient of an ANPCyT graduate student fellowship, 2002-2004. Recipient of a National Research Council (CONICET) doctoral fellowship, 2004-2009. Project title: Recycling from the phagosomal compartment: role of Rab11 and its interacting proteins.

- Thesis advisor, Natalia Leiva (MS, Molecular Biology). Ph.D. student in PROBIOL (Postgraduate Program in Biology), National University of Cuyo. Recipient of a School of Medicine (FCM) graduate student fellowship, 2006. Recipient of a National Research Council (CONICET) doctoral fellowship, 2007-2010. Project title: Vesicular transport along the phagocytic pathway: the molecular machinery and its hormonal modulation.

- Thesis advisor, Anahí Capmany (MS, Molecular Biology). Ph.D. student in PROBIOL (Postgraduate Program in Biology), Cuyo National University. Recipient of a National Research Council (CONICET) doctoral fellowship, 2008-2011. Project title: Host molecular machinery involved in Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion development.

- Thesis co-advisor, Romina Salinas (MS, Molecular Biology). Ph.D. student in PROBIOL (Postgraduate Program in Biology), National University of Cuyo. Recipient of an ANPCyT doctoral fellowship, 2008-2011. Project title: The molecular machinery involved in phagocytosis and phagosome maturation: role of small GTPases, cytoskeleton and its partners.

Supervised thesis:

- Natalia Leiva. Thesis to opt for a degree in Molecular Biology (equivalent to MS). Title: Vesicular transport reconstitution along the phagocytic via in SLO-permeabilized macrophages. Graduated in March 2005, School of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, National University of San Luis, San Luis, Argentina. Qualification: Excellent.

- Anahí Capmany. Thesis to opt for a degree in Molecular Biology (equivalent to MS). Title: Intracellular localization and relationship between the GTPases Rab11, Rab14 and Rab22. Graduated in December 2007, School of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, National University of San Luis, San Luis, Argentina. Qualification: Excellent

- Cristián Pocognoni. Thesis to opt for a degree in Molecular Biology (equivalent to MS). Title: Generation of a plasmid vector for the Rab11 GTPase gene expression silence. Graduated in December 2008, School of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, National University of San Luis, San Luis, Argentina. Qualification: Excellent

Supervised student:

- Carolina Cárdenas. (Co-supervisor). Recipient of a School of Medicine (FCM) undergraduate student fellowship, 1999-2000. Project title: Subcloning and overexpression of Rab11 fused to the yellow fluorescent protein pRab11-tpz". Qualification: Excellent (Awarded). 

- Gabriela García. Recipient of a School of Medicine (FCM) undergraduate student fellowship, 2001-2003. Project title: Phagocytosis and recycling from the phagosomal compartment in Diabetes mellitus. Qualification: Excellent. 

- Carina Ferrer. Biochemistry student, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Maza University, 2001-2003. Project title: Modulation of phagocytosis and phagosome maturation by insulin.

- María Fernanda Contreras. Recipient of a School of Medicine (FCM) undergraduate student fellowship, 2007-2008. Project title: Synthesis and purification of peptides involved in trafficking along the phagocytic pathway. Qualification: Excellent. 

-Ana Laura Aragó. Recipient of a School of Medicine (FCM) undergraduate student fellowship, 2007-2008. Project title: Development of a recombinant plasmid for Rab11 RNA interference intracellular generation. Qualification: Excellent. 

Funding (current)

As Principal Investigator

- Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT-MINCyT). Title: The molecular machinery involved in phagocytosis and phagosome maturation: role of small GTPases, cytoskeleton and its partners. PICT  Nº 15-38077. 2007-2010.

- CIUNC (Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; Science and Technology Office, National University of Cuyo). Title: Identification of host molecules involved on the development of pathogen intracellular niches. 2009-2011

As Team member

- Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT).Title: Consolidation of a network of Cell Biology laboratories for the resolution of human and animal health problems. Director: María Isabel Colombo. PME-2006-00306.

Selected publications:

- Reconstitution of recycling from the phagosomal compartment in Streptolysin O-permeabilized macrophages: role of Rab11. Leiva N, Pavarotti M, Colombo MI, Damiani MT. Exp Cell Research 2006; 312:1843-1855. (IF: 4,2)

- Rab11 promotes docking and fusion of multivesicular bodies in a Calcium-dependent manner.  Savina A, Fader C, Damiani MT, Colombo MI. Traffic 2005; 6(2):131-143. (IF: 6,2) 

- The Rab coupling protein is associated with phagosomes and regulates recycling from the phagosomal compartment. Damiani MT, Pavarotti M, Leiva N, Lindsay A, McCaffrey M, Colombo MI. Traffic 2004; 5(10):785-797. (IF: 6,2)

- Microfilaments and Microtubules regulate recycling from phagosomes. Damiani MT, Colombo MI. Exp Cell Research 2003; 289:152-161. (IF:5,1)

- Involvement of Heterotrimeric G proteins in Phagocytosis and Recycling from the Phagosomal Compartment. Damiani MT, Colombo MI. Exp Cell Research 2001;271(1):189-199. (IF: 5,1)

Awards (among 15):

Premio MERCK Latin American Young Investigator Award. Recipient: María Teresa Damiani. 48th Annual Fall Conference and Scientific Sessions of the Council for High blood Pressure Research, American Heart Association, Chicago, EEUU, 1994.

Teaching activity:

De las Moléculas a las Células (From Molecules to the Cell). For undergraduate students, School of Medicine.

Bioquímica clínica (Clinical Biochemistry). For medical students, School of Medicine.

Complementación molecular para alumnos de Medicina (Selected topics of Molecular and Cell biology for medical students). Open course.

Biología Celular y Molecular (Cell and Molecular Biology). Graduate student. Biology Doctoral Program (PROBIOL)

Metabolismo, nutrición y diabetología (Metabolism and Diabetes). Post-graduate course. Teaching: Hormonal regulation of the carbohydrates pathway and transport of glucose across membranes.

Iniciación en la Investigación (Basics techniques useful for Molecular and Cell Biology research). Course for the recipients of School of Medicine fellowships.

Internal collaborations
Our laboratory works in close collaboration with groups in the IHEM leaded by
María Isabel Colombo
Walter Berón

Actualizado Octubre 2009