Rafael Ricci de Azevedo
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Redefining Shiga toxin-induced human cell death as NLRP1- and gasdermin E-mediated pyroptosis.
Ricci-Azevedo R, Sarkar B, Shivcharan S, Hazra A, Browne M, Carlson E, Chidambaram U, Rathinam V, Kailasan Vanaja S. Redefining Shiga toxin-induced human cell death as NLRP1- and gasdermin E-mediated pyroptosis. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2026, 123: e2510274123. PMID: 41533439, PMCID: PMC12818423, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2510274123.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStx-induced cell deathHemolytic uremic syndromeCell deathHemolytic uremic syndrome developmentGasdermin EHuman cellsToxin-induced cell deathCaspase-8 activationHuman cell deathKidney epithelial cellsCaspase-8Pathogenicity determinantsRibotoxic stressInflammatory formPediatric renal failureHuman intestinal microvascular endothelial cellsIntestinal microvascular endothelial cellsPyroptotic pathwayStxSusceptible cellsSensitive cellsUremic syndromeShigaEpithelial cellsPopulation of sensitive cells
2025
Role of MiT family transcription factors in type I interferon and anti-bacterial defense 2352
Hazra A, Ricci de Azevedo R, Kailasan Vanaja S. Role of MiT family transcription factors in type I interferon and anti-bacterial defense 2352. The Journal Of Immunology 2025, 214 DOI: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf283.278.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEnterohemorrhagic Escherichia coliEHEC colonizationPattern recognition receptorsFamily transcription factorsIntestinal epithelial cellsType I IFN expressionTranscription factorsType I interferonClinically significant human pathogensI interferonEndosomal pattern recognition receptorsCytosolic pattern recognition receptorsFunction of TFEBActivation of TFEBHuman intestinal epithelial cellsAnti-bacterial defenseAnti-bacterial responsesPattern recognition receptor stimulationStarvation responseInnate immune responseHuman pathogensIRF3 phosphorylationLysosomal biogenesisType I IFNRecognition receptorsRNA N-glycosylation enables immune evasion and homeostatic efferocytosis
Graziano V, Porat J, Ah Kioon M, Mejdrová I, Matz A, Lebedenko C, Chai P, Pluvinage J, Ricci-Azevedo R, Harrison A, Wright S, Wang X, Strine M, Wang P, Wilson M, Vanaja S, Zhou B, Barrat F, Carell T, Flynn R, Rathinam V. RNA N-glycosylation enables immune evasion and homeostatic efferocytosis. Nature 2025, 645: 784-792. PMID: 40770106, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09310-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-inflammatory clearanceN-glycansSmall RNAsInnate immune sensingApoptotic cellsEndogenous small RNAsFunctional significanceProduction of type I interferonsDe-N-glycosylationInnate immune activationEndosomal networkInnate immune responseClearance of dead cellsN-glycosylationRNA sensorsType I interferonToll-like receptorsRNAGlycoRNACell surfaceGenetic deletionI interferonDead cellsAcp3UAutoinflammatory responses
2024
Enteric pathogen targeting of the inflammasome pathway
Ricci de Azevedo R, Kailasan Vanaja S. Enteric pathogen targeting of the inflammasome pathway. The Journal Of Immunology 2024, 212: 0485_5182-0485_5182. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.212.supp.0485.5182.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGene mutantsBacterial modulationBacterial pathogensSalmonella pathogenicity island 1Mutants of S. typhimuriumInflammasome responsesPathogenicity island 1SPI-1 effectorsCytosolic LPS sensingModel enteric pathogenCell death responseClearance of bacterial pathogensNoncanonical inflammasome pathwayProfessional innate immune cellsIsland 1Effector proteinsInflammasome pathwaySPI-1Death responseCaspase-11Enteric pathogensLPS sensingSelection pressureNoncanonical inflammasomeIL-1 responseThe recombinant l-lysine α-oxidase from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum promotes apoptosis and necrosis of leukemia CD34 + hematopoietic cells
Costa M, Silva T, Guimarães D, Ricci-Azevedo R, Teixeira F, Silveira L, Gomes M, Faça V, de Oliveira E, Calado R, Silva R. The recombinant l-lysine α-oxidase from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum promotes apoptosis and necrosis of leukemia CD34 + hematopoietic cells. Microbial Cell Factories 2024, 23: 51. PMID: 38355518, PMCID: PMC10865671, DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02315-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFungus Trichoderma harzianumTrichoderma harzianumFilamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianumL-lysineAmino acidsAmino acid deprivationProgrammed Cell DeathCancer cell proliferationT. harzianumApoptotic cascadeRecombinant proteinsCell deathCD34+ hematopoietic cellsMitochondrial dysfunctionCancer treatmentTreatment of leukemiaProliferation inhibitionHarzianumEssential amino acidsCell proliferationAminoApoptosisPotential drugsLeukemic cellsHematopoietic cells
2023
A bacterial autotransporter impairs innate immune responses by targeting the transcription factor TFE3
Ta A, Ricci-Azevedo R, Vasudevan S, Wright S, Kumari P, Havira M, Surendran Nair M, Rathinam V, Vanaja S. A bacterial autotransporter impairs innate immune responses by targeting the transcription factor TFE3. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 2035. PMID: 37041208, PMCID: PMC10090168, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37812-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscription factor TFE3Type I IFN expressionInnate immune responseI interferonBacterial secretion systemsHost cell cytosolInnate host defenseBacterial autotransportersEHEC colonizationImmune responseSecretion systemUncharacterized proteinsBacterial strategyPathogenesis in vivoBacterial pathogensTranscription factorsCell cytosolIRF3 activationInnate immune suppressionType I interferonAntibacterial defenseHost defenseEHECImmune suppressionTranscription
2021
Microneme Proteins 1 and 4 From Toxoplasma gondii Induce IL-10 Production by Macrophages Through TLR4 Endocytosis
Ricci-Azevedo R, Mendonça-Natividade F, Santana A, Diniz J, Roque-Barreira M. Microneme Proteins 1 and 4 From Toxoplasma gondii Induce IL-10 Production by Macrophages Through TLR4 Endocytosis. Frontiers In Immunology 2021, 12: 655371. PMID: 33912181, PMCID: PMC8071938, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.655371.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProtozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondiiMicroneme proteinsHost cell responsesToxoplasma gondiiMicroneme protein 1Early stages of infectionN-linked glycansBlockade of endocytosisToxoplasma gondiiStages of infectionActivate NF-kBSecreted proteinsTLR4 endocytosisTLR4 internalizationMIC4MIC1Cell surfaceApical organellesCell responsesIL-10Host inflammatory responseMicronemesProtein 1ProteinEndocytosisProtein methyltransferase 7 deficiency in Leishmania major increases neutrophil associated pathology in murine model
Diniz J, Chaves M, Vaselek S, Magalhães R, Ricci-Azevedo R, de Carvalho R, Lorenzon L, Ferreira T, Zamboni D, Walrad P, Volf P, Sacks D, Cruz A. Protein methyltransferase 7 deficiency in Leishmania major increases neutrophil associated pathology in murine model. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021, 15: e0009230. PMID: 33651805, PMCID: PMC7954300, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009230.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProtein arginine methyltransferasesProtein stabilityEpigenetic regulationRegulation of mRNA metabolismRNA binding capacityRNA-binding proteinsPost-translational modificationsCausative agentPost-transcriptional regulationMethylation of argininePost-transcriptional mechanismsStrains of L. majorCausative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasisMRNA metabolismMethylation targetsArginine methyltransferasesTranscriptional controlAgent of cutaneous leishmaniasisPathogenic phenotypeL. majorParasite developmentKnockout parasitesExcessive neutrophil recruitmentParasite biologyOld World
2020
Paracoccin Overexpression in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Enhances Fungal Virulence by Remodeling Chitin Properties of the Cell Wall
Gonçales R, Ricci-Azevedo R, Vieira V, Fernandes F, de O Thomaz S, Carvalho A, Vendruscolo P, Cunha C, Roque-Barreira M, Rodrigues F. Paracoccin Overexpression in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Enhances Fungal Virulence by Remodeling Chitin Properties of the Cell Wall. Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2020, 224: 164-174. PMID: 33201217, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa707.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEtiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosisChitinase activityCell wall biogenesisAgent of paracoccidioidomycosisCell wall architectureAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformationTumefaciens-mediated transformationEtiological agentWall biogenesisChitin processingParacoccinFungal burdenP. brasiliensisCell wallParacoccidioides brasiliensisGrowth mediumCell growthVirulenceWall architectureOverexpressionDisease developmentParacoccidioidesCell separationChitinaseCellsMIC4 from Toxoplasma gondii: A Lectin Acting as a Toll-Like Receptor Agonist
Costa Mendonça-Natividade F, Ricci-Azevedo R, Roque-Barreira M. MIC4 from Toxoplasma gondii: A Lectin Acting as a Toll-Like Receptor Agonist. Methods In Molecular Biology 2020, 2132: 379-389. PMID: 32306345, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0430-4_37.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsToxoplasma gondiiInfective formsT. gondiiN-linked glycansHost cell surfaceProkaryotic expressionLow yieldActinomyosin systemGondiiHost cellsMicronemesCell surfaceOrganelle contentExperimental assaysInnate immune cellsPurification stepsGalactoside residuesToll-like receptor agonistsProtein 4TachyzoitesSecretion of inflammatory cytokinesToxoplasmaBiological activityHost