Staff Profile

Our group is interested on the role of the immune system during cardiovascular ageing, such as how the immune system regulates inflammation (“Inflammaging”). Our approach is translational, identifying relevant questions in patients with coronary artery disease and modelling them in the lab.

• Articles

  • Kateryna, Tual-Chalot S, Mueller-Hennessen M, Vlachogiannis N, Georgiopoulos G, Biener M, Sachse M, Turchinovich A, Polycarpou-Schwarz M, Spray L, Maneta E, Bennaceur K, Mohammad A, Richardson GD, Gatsiou A, Langer HF, Frey N, Stamatelopoulos K, Heineke J, Duerschmied D, Giannitsis E, Spyridopoulos I, Stellos K. Effector T cell chemokine IP-10 predicts cardiac recovery and clinical outcomes post-myocardial infarction. Frontiers in Immunology 2023, 14, 1177467.
  • Bawamia B, Spray L, Wangsaputra VK, Bennaceur K, Vahabi S, Stellos K, Kharatikoopaei E, Ogundimu E, Gale CP, Keavney B, Maier R, Hancock H, Richardson GD, Austin D, Spyridopoulos I. Activation of telomerase by TA-65 enhances immunity and reduces inflammation post myocardial infarction Randomized Pilot Trial. GeroScience 2023, 45, 2689-2705.
  • Spray L, Park C, Cormack S, Mohammed A, Panahi P, Boag S, Bennaceur K, Sopova K, Richardson G, Stangl V, Rech L, Rainer P, Ramos G, Hofmann U, Stellos K, Spyridopoulos I. The Fractalkine Receptor CX3CR1 Links Lymphocyte Kinetics in CMV-Seropositive Patients and Acute Myocardial Infarction With Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling. Frontiers in Immunology 2021, 12, 605857.
  • Maier R, Bawamia B, Bennaceur K, Dunn S, Marsay L, Amoah R, Kasim A, Filby A, Austin D, Hancock H, Spyridopoulos I. Telomerase activation to reverse immunosenescence in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome: Protocol for a randomized pilot trial. JMIR Research Protocols 2020, 9(9), e19456.
  • Spray L, Park C, Cormack S, Mohammad A, Panahi P, Boag S, Bennaceur K, Richardson G, Arthur H, Stellos K, Spyridopoulos I. Role of CMV-serostatus and CX3CR1 on lymphocyte kinetics and left ventricular remodelling in patients with acute myocardial infarction. European Heart Journal 2020, 41(Suppl. 2), ehaa946.1289.
  • Richardson G, Sage A, Bennaceur K, Al Zhrany N, Coelho-Lima J, Dookun E, Draganova L, Saretzki G, Breault D, Mallat Z, Spyridopoulos I. Telomerase Mediates Lymphocyte Proliferation but Not the Atherosclerosis-Suppressive Potential of Regulatory T-Cells. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 2018, 38(6), 1283-1296.
  • Drummond CJ, Esfandiari A, Liu J, Lu X, Hutton C, Jackson J, Bennaceur K, Xu Q, Makimanejavali AR, Bello FD, Piergentili A, Newell DR, Hardcastle IR, Griffin RJ, Lunec J. TP53 mutant MDM2-amplified cell lines selected for resistance to MDM2-p53 binding antagonists retain sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Oncotarget 2016, 7(29), 46203-46218.
  • Boag SE, Das R, Shmeleva EV, Bagnall A, Egred M, Howard N, Bennaceur K, Zaman A, Keavney B, Spyridopoulos I. T lymphocytes and fractalkine contribute to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in patients. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2015, 125(8), 3063-3076.
  • Shmeleva EV, Boag SE, Murali S, Bennaceur K, Das R, Egred M, Purcell I, Edwards R, Todryk S, Spyridopoulos I. Differences in immune responses between CMV-seronegative and -seropositive patients with myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease 2015, 3(2), 56-70.
  • Watson R, Wearmouth E, McLoughlin A-C, Jackson A, Ward S, Bertram P, Bennaceur K, Barker CE, Pappworth IY, Kavanagh D, Lea SM, Atkinson JP, Goodship THJ, Marchbank KJ. Autoantibodies to CD59, CD55, CD46 or CD35 are not associated with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS). Molecular Immunology 2015, 63(2), 287-296.
  • Bennaceur K, Atwill M, Al Zhrany N, Hoffmann J, Keavney B, Breault D, Richardson G, von Zglinicki T, Saretzki G, Spyridopoulos I. Atorvastatin induces T cell proliferation by a telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mediated mechanism. Atherosclerosis 2014, 236(2), 312-320.
  • Kavanagh D, Pappworth IY, Anderson H, Hayes CM, Moore I, Hunze EM, Bennaceur K, Roversi P, Lea S, Strain L, Ward R, Plant N, Nailescu C, Goodship TH, Marchbank KJ. Factor I Autoantibodies in Patients with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: Disease-Associated or an Epiphenomenon?. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2012, 7(3), 417-426.
  • Watson AF, Liu JF, Bennaceur K, Drummond CJ, Endicott JA, Golding BT, Griffin RJ, Haggerty K, Lu XH, McDonnell JM, Newell DR, Noble MEM, Revill CH, Riedinger C, Xu Q, Zhao Y, Lunec J, Hardcastle IR. MDM2-p53 protein-protein interaction inhibitors: A-ring substituted isoindolinones. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2011, 21(19), 5916-5919.
  • Hardcastle IR, Liu J, Valeur E, Watson A, Ahmed SU, Blackburn TJ, Bennaceur K, Clegg W, Drummond C, Endicott JA, Golding BT, Griffin RJ, Gruber J, Haggerty K, Harrington RW, Hutton C, Kemp S, Lu X, McDonnell JM, Newell DR, Noble ME, Payne SL, Revill CH, Riedinger C, Xu Q, Lunec J. Isoindolinone Inhibitors of the Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2)-p53 Protein-Protein Interaction: Structure-Activity Studies Leading to Improved Potency. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2011, 54(5), 1233-1243.
  • Bennaceur K, Popa I, Chapman JA, Migdal C, Péguet-Navarro J, Touraine JL, Portoukalian J. Different mechanisms are involved in apoptosis induced by melanoma gangliosides on human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Glycobiology 2009, 19(6), 576-582.
  • Popa I, Bennaceur K, Abdul-Malak N, Perrier E, Schmitt D, Portoukalian J. Studies of compounds that enhance sphingolipid metabolism in human keratinocytes. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2006, 28(1), 53-59.
  • Bennaceur K, Popa I, Portoukalian J, Berthier-Vergnes O, Péguet-Navarro J. Melanoma-derived gangliosides impair migratory and antigen-presenting function of human epidermal Langerhans cells and induce their apoptosis. International Immunology 2006, 18(6), 879-886.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Spyridopoulos I, Bawamia B, Spray L, Wangsaputra V, Stellos K, Bennaceur K, Kharatikoopaei E, Ogundimu E, Gale CP, Keavney B, Maier R, Hancock H, Richardson G, Austin D. Activation of mitochondrial telomerase reverses relative lymphopenia post myocardial infarction: results from the randomised, double-blinded TACTIC phase IIa pilot trial. In: ESC Congress 2022. 2022, Barcelona, Spain: Oxford University Press.
  • Shmeleva E, Boag S, Murali S, Bennaceur K, Todryk S, Spyridopoulos I. Effect of CMV-seropositivity on acute outcome of acute myocardial infarction. In: The British Society for Immunology Annual Congress 2014. 2014, Brighton, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Bennaceur K, Hunze EM, Liszewski MK, Bertram P, Staniforth SJ, Strain L, Wilson V, Atkinson JP, Goodship THJ, Marchbank KJ. MCP (CD46) autoantibodies are associated with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. In: XXIV International Complement Workshop. 2012, Crete, Greece: Urban und Fischer Verlag.

• Review

  • Bennaceur K, Chapman J, Brikci-Nigassa L, Sanhadji K, Touraine JL, Portoukalian J. Dendritic cells dysfunction in tumour environment. Cancer Letters 2008.