Beatriz Leon, PhD

Chief, Innate Cells and Th2 Immunity Section

Laboratory of Allergic Diseases

Our research aims to understand the immune mechanisms driving type 2-mediated allergic diseases in the skin and lungs. We study the interactions between innate and adaptive immune cells that promote type 2 immune responses to environmental allergens and how these interactions initiate and sustain allergic inflammation in conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Using mouse models, we examine the roles of innate immune cells, including dendritic cells, tissue macrophages, and monocytes, in initiating and supporting T-helper type 2 (Th2) cell differentiation and the development of allergic pathology. We also investigate the environmental and genetic factors influencing type 2 inflammation, including the role of microbiota and genetic susceptibility. We pay particular attention to sensitive periods such as infancy and pregnancy, which may affect immune responses and predispose individuals to allergic diseases. To advance our understanding, we utilize advanced techniques such as conditional knockout murine models, multi-color flow cytometry, histology, functional lung assessments, microscopy, RNA-Seq, and single-cell technologies. Our ultimate goal is to uncover the fundamental immune mechanisms leading to allergic diseases and identify novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat these conditions by targeting key pathways in Th2-driven inflammation.

Publications

León B. A model of Th2 differentiation based on polarizing cytokine repression. Trends Immunol.2023 Jun;44(6):399-407.

Bachus H, McLaughlin E, Lewis C, Papillion AM, Benveniste EN, Hill DD, Rosenberg AF, Ballesteros-Tato A, León B. IL-6 prevents Th2 cell polarization by promoting SOCS3-dependent suppression of IL-2 signaling. Cell Mol Immunol. 2023 Jun;20(6):651-665.

Kaur K, Bachus H, Lewis C, Papillion AM, Rosenberg AF, Ballesteros-Tato A, León B. GM-CSF production by non-classical monocytes controls antagonistic LPS-driven functions in allergic inflammation. Cell Rep. 2021 Dec 28;37(13):110178.

León B, Ballesteros-Tato A. Modulating Th2 Cell Immunity for the Treatment of Asthma. Front Immunol. 2021 Feb 10;12:637948.

Bachus H, Kaur K, Papillion AM, Marquez-Lago TT, Yu Z, Ballesteros-Tato A, Matalon S, León B. Impaired Tumor-Necrosis-Factor-α-driven Dendritic Cell Activation Limits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Protection from Allergic Inflammation in Infants. Immunity. 2019 Jan 15;50(1):225-240.e4.