Myogenesis, Inflammation & Muscle Function

 Research group

Group Leader

Joaquim Gea Guiral

Our ongoing research is focused on the role played by proinflammatory cytokines as a signaling molecules in the repairing-remodeling processes in muscles of patients with different processes with a relevant systemic inflammatory component, which share muscle dysfunction and/or loss of muscle mass. The strategic outcome is to identify potential molecular targets of therapies against muscle dysfunction and muscle cachexia. Our research is mainly addressed to lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer, but also muscle problems in aging, fibromyalgia and scoliosis and includes clinical assessment, in vivo and in vitro physiological studies, and molecular biology procedures.

More recently, we have initiated a line for the identification of molecular markers of different circumstances present in COPD patients (e.g. gravity, activity, comorbidities, systemic manifestations), using both conventional and ‘omics’ methodologies (transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics).

Members

Pilar Ausín Herrero (Researcher)

Ana Balañá Corberó (Researcher)

Eva Balcells Vilarnau (Researcher)

Carme Casadevall Fusté (Researcher)

Roberto Chalela Rengifo (Researcher)

Antoni Ferrer Monreal (Researcher)

Juana María Martínez Llorens (Researcher)

Sergi Pascual Guardia (Researcher)

Diego Agustín Rodríguez Chiaradia (Researcher)

Mireia Admetlló Papiol (Technician)

Lucilla Piccari (Technician)

 

Main Publications

• Shigemura M, Lecuona E, Angulo M, Homma T, Rodríguez DA, González-González FJ, Welch LC, Amarelle L, Kim SJ, Kaminski N, Budinger GRS, Solway J, Sznajder JI. Hypercapnia increases airway smooth muscle contractility via caspase-7-mediated miR-133a-RhoA signaling. Sci Transl Med 2018; 10(457): eaat1662. IF 16.71. D1.

• Arbillaga-Etxarri A, Gimeno-Santos E, Barberán-García A, Balcells E, Benet M, Borrell E, Celorrio N, Delgado A, Jané C, Marín A, et al. Long-term efficacy and effectiveness of a behavioural and community-based exercise intervention (Urban Training?) to increase physical activity in patients with COPD. A randomised controlled trial. Eur Respir J 2018; 52(4): 1800063. IF 12.242. D1.

• Martínez C, Casanova C, de Torres JP, Marín JM, de Lucas P, Fuster A, Cosío BG, Calle M, Peces-Barba G, Solanes I, Agüero R, Feu-Collado N, Alfageme I, Romero A, Balcells E, De Diego A, Marín M, Moreno A, Llunell A, Galdiz JB, Golpe R, Lacárcel Bautista, Cabrera C, Marín A, Soriano JB, López-Campos JL, CHAIN study investigators. Changes and clinical consequences of smoking cessation in COPD patients: a prospective analysis from the CHAIN cohort. Chest 2018; 154(2): 274-285. IF 7.652. Q1.

• Mateu-Jiménez M, Curull V, Rodríguez-Fuster A, Aguiló R, Sánchez-Font A, Pijuan L, Gea J, Barreiro E. Profile of epigenetic mechanisms in lung tumors of patients with underlying chronic respiratory conditions. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10: 7. IF 6.091. Q1.

• Sánchez-Font A, Chalela R, Martín-Ontiyuelo C, Albero R, Dalmases A, Longarón R, Alonso-Espinaco V, Curull V, Bellosillo B, Pijuan L. Molecular analysis of peripheral lung adenocarcinoma in brush cytology obtained by EBUS plus fluoroscopy-guided bronchoscopy. Cancer Cytophatol 2018; 126(10): 860-871. IF 3.866. Q1.

• Barreiro E, Puig-Vilanova E, Salazar-Degracia A, Pascual S, Casadevall C, Gea J. The Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast reverts proteolysis in skeletal muscle cells of patients with COPD cachexia. J Appl Physiol 2018; 125(2): 287-303. IF 3.256. Q1.

• Izquierdo-García JL, Nin N, Jiménez-Clemente J, Horcajada JP, Arenas-Miras MM, Gea J, Esteban A, Ruiz-Cabello J, Lorente JA. Metabolomic Profile of Ards by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Patients with H1N1 Influenza Virus Pneumonia. Shock 2018; 50(5): 504-510. IF 3.005. Q1.

Ongoing Research Projects

• Biomarcadores y perfiles clínicos personalizados en la Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica

- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SAF2014-54371-R)

- Period: from 2015 to 2019

- Principal investigator: Gea Guiral, Joaquim

• Deficiencia de hierro en pacientes con EPOC: Impacto de la reposición con hierro. FACE study (Ferinject Assessment in patients with COPD and iron deficiency to improve Exercise tolerance)

- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI17/00649)

- Period: from 2018 to 2020

- Principal investigator: Rodríguez Chiaradia, Diego Agustín

 

Participation in Research Networks

• CIBERESP: Enfermedades Respiratorias

- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. Subprograma CIBER (CB06/06/0043)

- Principal investigator: Gea Guiral, Joaquim

 

Clinical Trials Signed in 2018

• Estudio observacionaL prospectivo para EValuar la carga médica y su AsociacióN al uso de corTicosteroides orales en pacientes con asma grave en España” (Estudio LEVANTE)

- Register: AST-COR-2017-02 / D3250R00031

- Principal investigator: Ausín Herrero, Pilar

• Estudio observacional para la validación de un cuestionario para la actividad física de pacientes con EPOC en la práctica clínica: cuestionario SAQ-COPD (Spanish Activity Questionnaire in COPD)

- Register: AST-SAQ-2017-01/D2287R00R5

- Principal investigator: Gea Guiral, Joaquim

• Estudio observacional del impacto socioeconómico de la FPI en España. Estudio OASIS-IPF

- Register: BOE-MAC-2017-01

- Principal investigator: Balcells Vilarnau, Eva

• ¿Puede el oxígeno de alto flujo optimizar los beneficios de la Rehabilitación Respiratoria en enfermos con Enfermedad Pulmonar Intersticial Difusa (EPID) que desaturan al esfuerzo?

- Register: IIBSP-OXI-2017-18

- Principal investigator: Balcells Vilarnau, Eva

• Efectividad clínica de Furoato de Fluticasona/Bromuro de Umeclidinio /Vilanterol en un solo inhalador (TRELEGY® ELLIPTA®) en comparación con terapias triples en varios dispositivos no-ELLIPTA, en pacientes con EPOC en la práctica clínica habitual

- Register: 206854

- Principal investigator: Pascual Guardia, Sergi

• Estudio de fase IIa aleatorizado, controlado con placebo, doble ciego (abierto para el promotor), para evaluar la eficacia clínica, seguridad y tolerabilidad de Nemiralisib (GSK2269557) en participantes con EPOC sintomática e historial de exacerbaciones

- Register: 205739

- Principal investigator: Pascual Guardia, Sergi

 

Theses

• Chalela R. Somatic genomic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma: non-invasive molecular diagnosis and prognosis impact of driver mutations in non-tumoral airway cells. Universitat Pompeu Fabra.

- Director: Gea Guiral, Joaquim; Curull Serrano, Víctor

- Date of defense: 27/11/2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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