Ancuta Petronela

Our main interest is to study the role of chemokines (CK) and chemokine receptors (CKR) in the regulation of myeloid dendritic cell (DC) and CD4+ T cell trafficking, immunological synapse (IS) formation and CD4+ T cell differentiation in the context of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. 

The major projects in our laboratory aim (1) to characterize the immunogenic potential of DC derived from CD16+ monocytes (Mo), a pro-inflammatory Mo subset dramatically expanded in the peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients; (2) to identify distinct signaling pathways triggered by dominant and subordinate CK with relevance for IS formation and CD4+ T cell co-stimulation (3)  to determine the susceptibility to HIV replication of Th1, Th2, and Th17 CD4+ T cell subsets identified based on their differential expression of CKR (e.g., CCR4, CCR6, and CXCR3) in vitro and in vivo; and (4) to identify new post-entry HIV restriction mechanisms in primary CD4+ T cell subsets. 

Multicolor flow cytometry analysis and sorting, confocal microscopy, DiGE, cDNA microarrays, and real time PCR technology, together with access to HIV-infected patient cohorts will ensure the success of these studies

Monocytes, dendritic cells, and CD4+ T cells, chemokines, chemokine receptors, cell trafficking and T cell costimulation, immunological and virological synapse, HIV-1.

Principal Investigator, Canadian HIV Cure Enterprise (CanCURE)