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IBISS
University of Belgrade
Department of Immunology

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The main research topics of the Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research „Siniša Stanković" (IBISS) are organ-specific autoimmune and immunoinflammatory disorders (diabetes type 1 and type 2, and multiple sclerosis) and experimental immunooncology. Our research is predominantly conducted in animal models, but it also involves in vitro studies, as well as samples obtained from human subjects. Basic experimental models of Type 1 diabetes used are diabetes induced in inbred strains of mice and rats by multiple low doses of streptozotocin and spontaneous or accelerated diabetes in NOD mice, whereas type 2 diabetes is induced by high-fat diet. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Dark Agouti (DA) rats induced with central nervous system antigens is used as an experimental model of multiple sclerosis. Rats of Albino Oxford (AO) strain, resistant to the induction of diabetes and EAE are also involved in the studies. The basic aim of our studies is the discovery of molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the initiation, the development and the limitation of an autoimmune response in the diseases. Also, a possibility of pharmacological modulation of the autoimmune response is investigated. Regarding experimental immunooncology, the investigations are mainly focused on the efficacy of natural or synthetic agents in the treatment of transformed and/or immortalized cell lines in vitro, or animal tumor models in vivo. Beside evaluation of drugs' efficacy on the viability of tumor cells, different aspects of immune- and chemo-sensitization are explored.

Selected publications

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Diabetology
 

  1. Vujicic M, Nikolic I, Kontogianni VG, Saksida T, Charisiadis P, Vasic B, Stosic-Grujicic S, Gerothanassis IP, Tzakos AG, Stojanovic I. Ethyl Acetate Extract of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. hirtum Prevents Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in C57BL/6 Mice. J Food Sci. 2016 81:H1846-53.

  2. Vujicic M, Nikolic I, Kontogianni VG, Saksida T, Charisiadis P, Orescanin-Dusic Z, Blagojevic D, Stosic-Grujicic S, Tzakos AG, Stojanovic I. Methanolic extract of Origanum vulgare ameliorates type 1 diabetes through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activity. Br J Nutr. 2015 113:770-82.

  3. Nikolic I, Saksida T, Mangano K, Vujicic M, Stojanovic I, Nicoletti F, Stosic-Grujicic S. Pharmacological application of carbon monoxide ameliorates islet-directed autoimmunity in mice via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Diabetologia 2014 57:980-90.


Immunooncology
 

  1. Bulatović MZ, Maksimović-Ivanić D, Bensing C, Gómez-Ruiz S, Steinborn D, Schmidt H, Mojić M, Korać A, Golić I, Pérez-Quintanilla D, Momčilović M, Mijatović S, Kaluđerović GN. Organotin(IV)-Loaded Mesoporous Silica as a Biocompatible Strategy in Cancer Treatment. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2014 May;53(23):5982-7.

  2. Mijatovic S, Maksimovic-Ivanic D, Timotijevic G, Miljkovic D, Donia M, Libra M, Coco M, McCubrey J, Al-Abed Y, Korac A, Stosic-Grujicic S, Nicoletti F. Induction of caspase-independent apoptotic-like cell death of mouse mammary tumor TA3Ha cells in vitro and reduction of their lethality in vivo by the novel chemotherapeutic agent GIT-27NO. Free Radic Biol Med. 2010;48(8):1090-9.

  3. Maksimovic-Ivanic D, Mijatovic S, Miljkovic D, Harhaji-Trajkovic L, Timotijevic G, Mojic M, Dabideen D, Cheng KF, McCubrey JA, Mangano K, Al-Abed Y, Libra M, Garotta G, Stosic-Grujicic S, Nicoletti F. The antitumor properties of a nontoxic, nitric oxide-modified version of saquinavir are independent of Akt. Mol Cancer Ther. 2009;8(5):1169-78.


Neuroimmunology
 

  1. Stanisavljevic S, Dinic M, Jevtic B, Ðedovic N, Momcilovic M, Ðokic J, Golic N, Mostarica Stojkovic M, Miljkovic Ð. Gut microbiota confers resistance of Albino Oxford rats to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Front. Immunol. 2018; 9:942. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00942

  2. Jevtic B,  Djedovic N,  Stanisavljevic S,  Gasic U, Misic D, Despotovic J,  Samardzic J,  Miljkovic D,  Timotijevic G, Anti-encephalitogenic effects of cucumber leaf extract. J Funct Food. 2017 Oct; 37:249-262. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2017.07.060.

  3. Miljkovic D, Blaževski J, Petkovic F, Djedovic N, Momcilovic M, Stanisavljevic S, Jevtic B, Mostarica Stojkovic M, Spasojevic I. A comparative analysis of multiple sclerosis-relevant anti-inflammatory properties of ethyl pyruvate and dimethyl fumarate. J Immunology 2015; 2015 Mar 15;194(6):2493-503.

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