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Signal Transduction and Immunometabolism Laboratory

Metabolism is a fundamental process underlying biological functions. Cellular metabolism maps out immune cell state, fate and function, and contributes to inflammation, tissue repair and response to infection. The outcome of the immune response is further modulated by the crosstalk between signal transduction and metabolic reprogramming in a process known as bidirectional metabolic signaling. Our lab studies how this crosstalk between metabolism and signal transduction influence immune cell function in pathological settings. We approach that from multiple perspectives using a combination of molecular and biochemical techniques, functional assays, genomics, proteomics and metabolomics studies, and immunological analysis, in culture cells, genetically engineered mice and human samples. We are particularly interested in joint disorders, septic and aseptic inflammatory responses, including osteolysis and implant-related bone infections.

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Publications

Torres A, Pedersen B, Cobo I, Ai R, Coras R, Murillo-Saich J, Nygaard G, Sanchez-Lopez E, Murphy A, Wang W, Firestein GS, Guma M. Epigenetic Regulation of Nutrient Transporters in Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022 Jul;74(7):1159-1171. doi: 10.1002/art.42077. Epub 2022 Jun 2. PubMed PMID: 35128827; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9246826.

Sanchez-Lopez E, Coras R, Torres A, Lane NE, Guma M. Synovial inflammation in osteoarthritis progression. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2022 May;18(5):258-275. doi: 10.1038/s41584-022-00749-9. Epub 2022 Feb 14. Review. PubMed PMID: 35165404; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9050956.

Cobo I, Cheng A, Murillo-Saich J, Coras R, Torres A, Abe Y, Lana AJ, Schlachetzki J, Liu-Bryan R, Terkeltaub R, Sanchez-Lopez E, Glass CK, Guma M. Monosodium urate crystals regulate a unique JNK-dependent macrophage metabolic and inflammatory response. Cell Rep2022 Mar 8;38(10):110489. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110489. PubMed PMID: 35263587; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8989403.

Xian H, Liu Y, Rundberg Nilsson A, Gatchalian R, Crother TR, Tourtellotte WG, Zhang Y, Aleman-Muench GR, Lewis G, Chen W, Kang S, Luevanos M, Trudler D, Lipton SA, Soroosh P, Teijaro J, de la Torre JC, Arditi M, Karin M, Sanchez-Lopez E. Metformin inhibition of mitochondrial ATP and DNA synthesis abrogates NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pulmonary inflammation. Immunity2021 Jul 13;54(7):1463-1477.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.05.004. Epub 2021 Jun 10. PubMed PMID: 34115964; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8189765.

Sanchez-Lopez E, Zhong Z, Stubelius A, Sweeney SR, Booshehri LM, Antonucci L, Liu-Bryan R, Lodi A, Terkeltaub R, Lacal JC, Murphy AN, Hoffman HM, Tiziani S, Guma M, Karin M. Choline Uptake and Metabolism Modulate Macrophage IL-1β and IL-18 Production. Cell Metab2019 Jun 4;29(6):1350-1362.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.03.011. Epub 2019 Apr 11. PubMed PMID: 30982734; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6675591.


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Elsa Sanchez-Lopez, Ph.D.

Contact

Elsa Sanchez-Lopez, PhD
Assistant Professor in Residence
UC San Diego School of Medicine
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0863
La Jolla, CA 92093-0863

Office: (858) 246-3624
Fax: (858) 822-3807
Email: esl023@ucsd.edu 
Web: UCSD Research Profile