Dr. Fuschiotti’s research interests focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis by T cell and T cell-derived cytokines in chronic inflammatory conditions. Particular emphasis is given to the roles played by cytokine IL-13 and its receptors (IL-13Ra1 and IL-13Ra2) in fibrosis, autoimmunity, and cancer. The context of this work has been in human diseases primarily affecting the skin, namely systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune connective tissue disease whose main clinical feature is fibrosis, and cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). Dr. Fuschiotti has shown that IL-13 and its molecular pathways are involved in both diseases, acting as a major pro-fibrotic factor in SSc and as an autocrine factor for CTCL. In addition to understanding the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis, Dr. Fuschiotti has also been developing strategies aimed at targeting IL-13 and its molecular pathways for therapeutic relief. Recent work includes single-cell transcriptome analysis of CTCL skin tumors to investigate tumor heterogeneity with the aim to develop therapeutic strategies tailored to specific patients.
- BS, University of Perugia, Italy, 1985
- Ph.D., University of Perugia, Italy, 1993
- Visiting Associate, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID/NIH, Bethesda MD, USA, 1995
- Postdoctoral Fellow, CNRS, IBS & CEA, Grenoble, France., 2004
Education & Training
Fuschiotti P. Current perspectives on the role of CD8+ T cells in systemic sclerosis. Immunol Lett. 2018; 195: 55-60.
Cascio, S., Medsger, T. A. Jr., Hawse, W. F., Watkins, S. C., Milcarek, C., Moreland, L. W., Lafyatis, R. A., Fuschiotti, P. 14-3-3z sequesters cytosolic T-bet, upregulating IL-13 levels in TC2 and CD8+ lymphocytes from patients with scleroderma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; S0091-6749(17): 31760-31768.
Li, G., Larregina, A. .T, Domsic, R. T., Stolz, D. B., Medsger, T. A. Jr., Lafyatis, R., Fuschiotti, P. Skin-Resident Effector Memory CD8+CD28- T Cells Exhibit a Profibrotic Phenotype in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. J Invest Dermatol. 2017; 137(5): 1042-1050.
Fuschiotti, P. Current perspectives on the immunopathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. Immunotargets Ther. 2016; 5: 21-35.
Geskin, L. J., Viragova, S., Stolz, D. B., Fuschiotti, P. Interleukin-13 is overexpressed in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma cells and regulates their proliferation. Blood. 2015; 125(18): 2798-2805.
Fuschiotti, P., Larregina, A. T., Ho, J., Feghali-Bostwick, C., Medsger, T. A . Jr. Interleukin-13-producing CD8+ T cells mediate dermal fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Rheum. 2013; 61(1): 236-246.
Fuschiotti, P. Role of IL-13 in systemic sclerosis. Cytokine. 2011; 56(3): 544-549.
Fuschiotti, P. CD8+ T cells in systemic sclerosis. Immunol Res. 2011; 50(2-3): 188-194.
Medsger, T. A. Jr., Ivanco, D. E., Kardava, L., Morel, P. A., Lucas, M. R., Fuschiotti, P. GATA-3 up-regulation in CD8+ T cells as a biomarker of immune dysfunction in systemic sclerosis, resulting in excessive interleukin-13 production. Arthritis Rheum. 2011; 63(6): 1738-1747.
Morel, P. A., Srinivas, M., Turner, M. S., Fuschiotti, P., Munshi, R., Bahar, I., Feili-Hariri, M., Ahrens, E. T. Gene expression analysis of dendritic cells that prevent diabetes in NOD mice: analysis of chemokines and costimulatory molecules. J Leukoc Biol. 2011; 90(3): 539-550.
