• Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Infections by multidrug-resistant bacteria, especially carbapenemase-producing bacteria (EPC), have increased severely in recent years and are associated with high mortality rates. The general objective of this work is to increase the knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that allow the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria, especially in the presence of subinhibitory amounts of antibiotics. In addition, infections associated with medical implants are being prevented with modified biomaterials. Using resistant strains isolated from patients, the efficacy of new biomaterials with various modifications is being evaluated, as well as the search for new products of natural origin that can affect bacterial growth or biofilm formation.

• Study of the antitumor potential of grape must polyphenols in tumors of interest in pediatrics.

Data obtained in a project carried out in collaboration with the company Mostos Españoles S. A., have shown the presence of high concentrations of the polyphenols catechin and quercetin in grape must of the Airén variety. Polyphenols are characterized by their antioxidant capacity and their anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, etc. effects. Grapes and grape must are natural products of common consumption and high demand in the food industry, hence the interest in learning more about the beneficial health effects of these products. The objective of this project is to study the effect that grape polyphenols, especially catechin and quercetin, have on some of the most prevalent pediatric tumors such as leukemia and medulloblastoma. In addition, we are interested in determining the molecular mechanisms that polyphenols exert on tumor cells, in order to be able to modulate them and use them as therapeutic targets. This knowledge would open the door to the application of these natural products as bioactive agents against cancer.

• Microbiota studies:

In recent years, the intestinal microbiota has proved to be a determining factor in human health, influencing the development of numerous diseases of diverse etiology. Our research is carried out in animal models and in intervention and observational trials in humans. The study of the microbiota is performed by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques and our work is focused on the processing of the sequencing data of the 16s rRNA gene and the ITS and ITS2 regions of the 18s gene to obtain taxonomic information and subsequent statistical analysis.

Sara Aljama; Estela Pérez Lago; Olga Zafra Amorós; Javier Sierra Istúriz; Diana Simón Sanz; Cruz Santos Tejedor; Jesús Rodriguez Pascual; Noemí García Romero. (6/). 2023. Dichotomous colorectal cancer behavior. Critical Reviews Oncology/Hematology. Elsevier. 189, pp.104067. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.critrevonc.2023.104067

Laura Rubio Pérez; Rodrigo Lazaro-Gorines; Seandean L. Harwood; et al; Luis Alvarez-Vallina; Cruz Santos Tejedor. (18/). 2023. A PD-L1/EGFR bispecific antibody combines immune checkpoint blockade and direct anti-cancer action for an enhanced anti-tumor response.OncoImmunology. Taylor and Francis. 12-1, pp.2205336. https://doi.org/10.1080/2162402X.2023.2205336

Laura Martinez-Prat; Victor Matinez-Taboada; Marcos Lopez-Hoyos; Cruz Santos Tejedor; Michael Mahler.(4/). 2022. Anti-Protein-Arginine Deiminase 4 IgG and IgA Delineate Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. Diagnostics. MDPI. 12(9) pp.2187. https:// doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12092187

Daniel J García-Martínez, Javier Calzada Funes, Carlos Martín Saborido, Cruz Santos (2022) Grape Polyphenols to Arrest in Vitro Proliferation of Human Leukemia Cells: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Food Reviews International, 38:4, 402-419, DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2020.1810700

Bailén M, Tabone M, Bressa C, Lominchar MGM, Larrosa M, González-Soltero R. Unraveling Gut Microbiota Signatures Associated with PPARD and PARGC1A Genetic Polymorphisms in a Healthy Population. Genes (Basel). 2022 Feb 1;13(2):289. doi: 10.3390/genes13020289. PMID: 35205333; PMCID: PMC8871880. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13020289

Tabone M, Garcia-Merino JA, Bressa C, Rocha Guzman NE, Herrera Rocha K, Chu Van E, Castelli FA, Fenaille F, Larrosa M. Chronic Consumption of Cocoa Rich in Procyanidins Has a Marginal Impact on Gut Microbiota and on Serum and Fecal Metabolomes in Male Endurance Athletes. J Agric Food Chem. 2022 Feb 16;70(6):1878-1889. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c07547. Epub 2022 Feb 3. PMID: 35112856. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.1c07547

Domínguez-Balmaseda D, Bressa C, Fernández-Romero A, de Lucas B, Pérez-Ruiz M, San Juan AF, Roller M, Issaly N, Larrosa M. Evaluation of a Zingiber officinale and Bixa orellana Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Male Athletes: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Planta Med. 2022 Oct;88(13):1245-1255. doi: 10.1055/a-1671-5766. Epub 2022 Feb 28. PMID: 35226949. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1671-5766

Segovia-Rodríguez L, Echeverry-Alzate V, Rincón-Pérez I, Calleja-Conde J, Bühler KM, Giné E, Albert J, Hinojosa JA, Huertas E, Gómez-Gallego F, Bressa C, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, López-Moreno JA. Gut microbiota and voluntary alcohol consumption. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 7;12(1):146. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-01920-2. PMID: 35393390; PMCID: PMC8990010. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-01920-2

M.R. Moreno-Jiménez, N.E. Rocha-Guzmán, M. Larrosa, C. Bressa, C.A. Segura-Sánchez, A. Macías-Salas, J.O. Díaz-Rivas, P. Flores-Rodríguez (2022). Constituents of Quercus eduardii leaf infusion: Their interaction with gut microbiota communities and therapeutic role in colorectal cancer. Journal of Functional Foods, 97, 105258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2022.105258

García-Martínez DJ, Arroyo-Hernández M, Posada-Ayala M, Santos C. The High Content of Quercetin and Catechin in Airen Grape Juice Supports Its Application in Functional Food Production. Foods. 2021; 10(7):1532. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071532 https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071532

Tabone M, Bressa C, Garcia-Merino JA, Moreno-Perez D, Van EC, Castelli FA, Fenaille F, Larrosa M. The effect of acute moderate-intensity exercise on the serum and fecal metabolomes and the gut microbiota of cross-country endurance athletes. Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 11;11(1):3558. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82947-1. PMID: 33574413; PMCID: PMC7878499. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82947-1

Castellanos N, Diez GG, Antúnez-Almagro C, Bailén M, Bressa C, González Soltero R, Pérez M, Larrosa M. A Critical Mutualism – Competition Interplay Underlies the Loss of Microbial Diversity in Sedentary Lifestyle. Front Microbiol. 2020 Jan 22;10:3142. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03142. PMID: 32038575; PMCID: PMC6987436. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03142

Bailén M, Bressa C, Larrosa M, González-Soltero R. Bioinformatic strategies to address limitations of 16rRNA short-read amplicons from different sequencing platforms. J Microbiol Methods. 2020 Feb;169:105811. doi: 10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105811. Epub 2019 Dec 16. PMID: 31857143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105811 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105811

Castellanos N, Diez GG, Antúnez-Almagro C, Bressa C, Bailén M, González-Soltero R, Pérez M, Larrosa M. Key Bacteria in the Gut Microbiota Network for the Transition between Sedentary and Active Lifestyle. Microorganisms. 2020 May 24;8(5):785. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8050785. PMID: 32456263; PMCID: PMC7285274. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8050785

Bailén M, Bressa C, Martínez-López S, González-Soltero R, Montalvo Lominchar MG, San Juan C, Larrosa M. Microbiota Features Associated With a High-Fat/Low-Fiber Diet in Healthy Adults. Front Nutr. 2020 Dec 18;7:583608. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.583608. PMID: 33392236; PMCID: PMC7775391. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.583608

Mendez-Figueroa V, Biscaia JM, Mohedano RB, Blanco-Fernandez A, Bailen M, Bressa C, Larrosa M, Gonzalez-Soltero R. Can Gut Microbiota and Lifestyle Help Us in the Handling of Anorexia Nervosa Patients? Microorganisms. 2019 Feb 22;7(2):58. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms7020058. PMID: 30813265; PMCID: PMC6406897. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7020058

de Lucas Moreno, B., Soltero, R. G., Bressa, C., Bailén, M., & Pérez, M. L. (2019). Lifestyle modulation of gut microbiota. Nutricion hospitalaria, 36(Spec No3), 35-39. https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.02805

Moreno-Pérez D, Bressa C, Bailén M, Hamed-Bousdar S, Naclerio F, Carmona M, Pérez M, González-Soltero R, Montalvo-Lominchar MG, Carabaña C, Larrosa M. Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 10;10(3):337. doi: 10.3390/nu10030337. PMID: 29534465; PMCID: PMC5872755. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030337