Magali IRLA – CIML

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Dorian BOURGEON

About

Magali Irla obtained a PhD in immunology from Aix-Marseille University, where she studied a gene expressed by thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and developed an approach for gene transfer into the thymus. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Prof. Walter Reith at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, thanks to a European EMBO grant. She made a major discovery concerning the development of bone marrow TECs, which control central tolerance, and studied the interactions between plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and Foxp3+ Tregs in the context of central nervous system autoimmunity.

She was then promoted to junior team leader at the University of Geneva, where she studied the topology of the thymic medulla. She subsequently obtained a CR1 researcher position at Inserm and joined the CIML, while continuing to lead projects on thymus biology. In 2016, she obtained her accreditation to direct research (HDR).

In 2021, she created her research team at CIML and was promoted to research director at Inserm in 2022.

His laboratory is interested in T cell development and thymic function (Annu Rev Immunol. 2022). The team has made several major contributions in this field concerning: thymic dendritic cells (Nat Commun. 2018), TEC development (Elife. 2022), regeneration of thymic function after bone marrow transplantation (EMBO Mol Med. 2017) and during aging (Sci Transl Med. 2024), as well as the development of thymic Foxp3+ Tregs (Cell Mol Life Sci. 2022; Nat Commun. 2024).

In 2019, Magali Irla received the National Academy of Medicine prize for her translational research work.

Magali Irla is a member of the Specialized Scientific Commission “Immunology, Microbiology, Infection” (CSS5) at Inserm. She was also a member of the ANR CE18 “Biomedical Innovation” committee and actively participates in scientific evaluation at the national and international levels.

News

Young woman looking through a microscope in a lab.

International Women's and Girls' Day

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science this February 11, we celebrate the contribution […]

Projects

Biological and therapeutic roles of TNF members in Tregs: implication in immunotherapy and cell therapy to treat autoimmune diseases – Reality

Project: Reality Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial players in the control of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases […]

Regulators of Self Antigen Expression in the Thymus: Guardians of Immunological Tolerance – SelfExpress

Project: SelfExpress The thymus plays a critical role in establishing central tolerance by producing a diverse repertoire […]

Spatial mapping of gene expression to decipher thymic interactions controlling central immune tolerance

Project: ThymMap T lymphocytes recognize pathogens while being tolerant to our tissues. They differentiate […]

Study of the dissemination of T-ALL leukemias

Project: T-ALL Leukemias T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive blood cancer, representing 25% of […]

Publications

Irla M, Thymic Crosstalk: An Overview of the Complex Cellular Interactions that Control the Establishment of T-Cell Tolerance. Adv Exp Med Biol 2025; 1471(): 177-197.

Santamaria JC, Chevallier J, Dutour L, Picart A, Kergaravat C, Cieslak A, Amrane M, Vincentelli R, P..., RANKL treatment restores thymic function and improves T cell-mediated immune responses in aged mice. Sci Transl Med 2024 Dec; 16(776): eadp3171.

Borelli A, Santamaria JC, Zamit C, Apert C, Chevallier J, Pierre P, Argüello RJ, Spinelli L, Irla M, Lymphotoxin limits Foxp3+ regulatory T cell development from Foxp3lo precursors via IL-4 signaling. Nat Common 2024 Aug; 15(1): 6976.

Amable L, Ferreira Martins LA, Pierre R, Do Cruseiro M, Chabab G, Sergé A, Kergaravat C, Delord M, ..., Intrinsic factors and CD1d1 but not CD1d2 expression levels control invariant natural killer T cell subset differentiation. Nat Commun 2023 Dec; 14(1): 7922.

Borelli A, Zamit C, Irla M, Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cell Antigen-presentation Assays. Bio Protoc 2023 Nov; 13(21): e4865.

Frech M, Danzer H, Uchil P, Azizov V, Schmid E, Schälter F, Dürholz K, Mauro D, Rauber S, Muñoz L..., Butyrophilin 2a2 (Btn2a2) expression on thymic epithelial cells promotes central T cell tolerance and prevents autoimmune disease. J Autoimmun 2023 Sep;139():103071.

Laan M, Giraud M, Irla M, Editorial: Thymic function at single cell resolution. Front Immunol 2023; 14(): 1358957.

Charaix J, Borelli A, Santamaria JC, Chasson L, Giraud M, Sergé A, Irla M, Recirculating Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are restimulated in the thymus under Aire control. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022 Jun; 79(7): 355.

Irla M, Instructive Cues of Thymic T Cell Selection. Annu Rev Immunol 2022 Apr; 40(): 95-119.

Jersey L, Irla M, Serge A, Single Molecule Tracking Nanoscopy Extended to Two Colors with MTT2col for the Analysis of Cell-Cell Interactions in Leukemia. Bio Protoc 2022 Apr; 12(8): e4390.

Lopes N, Boucherit N, Santamaria JC, Provin N, Charaix J, Ferrier P, Giraud M, Irla M, Thymocytes trigger self-antigen-controlling pathways in immature medullary thymic epithelial stages. Elife 2022 Feb; 11(): .

Padonou F, Gonzalez V, Provin N, Yayilkan S, Jmari N, Maslovskaja J, Kisand K, Peterson P, Irla M, G..., Aire-dependent transcripts escape Raver2-induced splice-event inclusion in the thymic epithelium. EMBO Rep 2022 Feb; 23(3): e53576.

Callebaut A, Bruggeman Y, Zamit C, Sodré FMC, Irla M, Mathieu C, Buitinga M, Overbergh L, Aberrant expression of transglutaminase 2 in pancreas and thymus of NOD mice underscores the importance of deamidation in neoantigen generation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13():908248.

, CD8+ T Cells Variably Recognize Native Versus Citrullinated GRP78 Epitopes in Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes 2021 Dec; 70(12): 2879-2891.

Niebuhr M, Belde J, Fähnrich A, Serge A, Irla M, Ellebrecht CT, Hammers CM, Bieber K, Westermann J,..., Receptor repertoires of murine follicular T helper cells reveal a high clonal overlap in separate lymph nodes in autoimmunity. Elife 2021 Aug; 10(): .

Borelli A, Irla M, Lymphotoxin: from the physiology to the regeneration of the thymic function. Cell Death Differ 2021 Aug; 28(8): 2305-2314.

Santamaria JC, Borelli A, Irla M, Regulatory T Cell Heterogeneity in the Thymus: Impact on Their Functional Activities. Front Immunol 2021; 12(): 643153.

Pouzolles M, Machado A, Guilbaud M, Irla M, Gailhac S, Barennes P, Cesana D, Calabria A, Benedicenti..., Intrathymic adeno-associated virus gene transfer rapidly restores thymic function and long-term persistence of gene-corrected T cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020 Feb; 145(2): 679-697.e5.

Irla M, RANK Signaling in the Differentiation and Regeneration of Thymic Epithelial Cells. Front Immunol 2020; 11(): 623265.

McCarron MJ, Irla M, Sergé A, Soudja SM, Marie JC, Transforming Growth Factor-beta signaling in αβ thymocytes promotes negative selection. Nat Commun 2019 Dec; 10(1): 5690.

Lopes N, Charaix J, Cédile O, Sergé A, Irla M, Lymphotoxin α fine-tunes T cell clonal deletion by regulating thymic entry of antigen-presenting cells. Nat Commun 2018 Mar;9(1):1262.

Lopes N, Vachon H, Marie J, Irla M, Administration of RANKL boosts thymic regeneration upon bone marrow transplantation. EMBO Mol Med 2017 Jun; 9(6): 835-851.

Lippens C, Duraes FV, Dubrot J, Brighouse D, Lacroix M, Irla M, Aubry-Lachainaye JP, Reith W, Mandl ..., IDO-orchestrated crosstalk between pDCs and Tregs inhibits autoimmunity. J Autoimmun 2016 Dec; 75(): 39-49.

Serge A, Bailly AL, Aurrand-Lions M, Imhof BA, Irla M, For3D: Full organ reconstruction in 3D, an automated tool for deciphering the complexity of lymphoid organs. J Immunol Methods 2015 Sep; 424(): 32-42.

Lopes N, Serge A, Ferrier P, Irla M, Thymic Crosstalk Coordinates Medulla Organization and T-Cell Tolerance Induction. Front Immunol 2015; 6(): 365.

Lopes N, Ferrier P, Irla M, [Induction of central tolerance by the factor Aire: molecular and epigenetic regulation]. Med Sci (Paris) 2015; 31(8-9): 742-7.

Guéry L, Dubrot J, Lippens C, Brighouse D, Malinge P, Irla M, Pot C, Reith W, Waldburger JM, Hugues..., Ag-presenting CpG-activated pDCs prime Th17 cells that induce tumor regression. Cancer Res 2014 Nov; 74(22): 6430-40.

Dunand-Sauthier I, Irla M, Carnesecchi S, Seguín-Estévez Q, Vejnar CE, Zdobnov EM, Santiago-Raber ..., Repression of arginase-2 expression in dendritic cells by microRNA-155 is critical for promoting T cell proliferation. J Immunol 2014 Aug; 193(4): 1690-700.

Cowan JE, McCarthy NI, Parnell SM, White AJ, Bacon A, Serge A, Irla M, Lane PJ, Jenkinson EJ, Jenkin..., Differential requirement for CCR4 and CCR7 during the development of innate and adaptive αβT cells in the adult thymus. J Immunol 2014 Aug; 193(3): 1204-12.

Hardy IR, Anceriz N, Rousseau F, Seefeldt MB, Hatterer E, Irla M, Buatois V, Chatel LE, Getahun A, F..., Anti-CD79 antibody induces B cell anergy that protects against autoimmunity. J Immunol 2014 Feb; 192(4): 1641-50.

Serge A, Irla M, [Cellular and molecular motions: order and disorder]. Med Sci (Paris) 2013 Mar; 29(3): 317-23.

Irla M, Guenot J, Sealy G, Reith W, Imhof BA, Sergé A, Three-dimensional visualization of the mouse thymus organization in health and immunodeficiency. J Immunol 2013 Jan; 190(2): 586-96.

Emre Y, Irla M, Dunand-Sauthier I, Ballet R, Meguenani M, Jemelin S, Vesin C, Reith W, Imhof BA, Thymic epithelial cell expansion through matricellular protein CYR61 boosts progenitor homing and T-cell output. Nat Commun 2013;4():2842.

Irla M, [Medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing Aire, key mediators in the induction of T-cell tolerance]. Med Sci (Paris) 2012 Feb; 28(2): 146-9.

Irla M, Guerri L, Guenot J, Sergé A, Lantz O, Liston A, Imhof BA, Palmer E, Reith W, Antigen recognition by autoreactive CD4⁺ thymocytes drives homeostasis of the thymic medulla., PLoS One 2012; 7(12): e52591.

Dunand-Sauthier I, Santiago-Raber ML, Capponi L, Vejnar CE, Schaad O, Irla M, Seguín-Estévez Q, De..., Silencing of c-Fos expression by microRNA-155 is critical for dendritic cell maturation and function. Blood 2011 Apr; 117(17): 4490-500.

Irla M, Küpfer N, Suter T, Lissilaa R, Benkhoucha M, Skupsky J, Lalive PH, Fontana A, Reith W, Hugu..., MHC class II-restricted antigen presentation by plasmacytoid dendritic cells inhibits T cell-mediated autoimmunity. J Exp Med 2010 Aug; 207(9): 1891-905.

Muller YD, Mai G, Morel P, Serre-Beinier V, Gonelle-Gispert C, Yung GP, Ehirchiou D, Wyss JC, Bigenz..., Anti-CD154 mAb and rapamycin induce T regulatory cell mediated tolerance in rat-to-mouse islet transplantation. PLoS One 2010 Apr; 5(4): e10352.

Irla M, Hollander G, Reith W, Control of central self-tolerance induction by autoreactive CD4+ thymocytes. Trends Immunol 2010 Feb; 31(2): 71-9.

Saade M, Irla M, Yammine M, Boulanger N, Victorero G, Vincentelli R, Penninger JM, Holländer GA, Ch..., Spatial (Tbata) expression in mature medullary thymic epithelial cells. Eur J Immunol 2010 Feb; 40(2): 530-8.

Schuler P, Contassot E, Irla M, Hugues S, Preynat-Seauve O, Beermann F, Donda A, French LE, Huard B, Direct presentation of a melanocyte-associated antigen in peripheral lymph nodes induces cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Cancer Res 2008 Oct; 68(20): 8410-8.

Irla M, Hugues S, Gill J, Nitta T, Hikosaka Y, Williams IR, Hubert FX, Scott HS, Takahama Y, Hollän..., Autoantigen-specific interactions with CD4+ thymocytes control mature medullary thymic epithelial cell cellularity. Immunity 2008 Sep; 29(3): 451-63.

Irla M, Saade M, Kissenpfennig A, Poulin LF, Leserman L, Marche PN, Jouvin-Marche E, Berger F, Nguye..., ZAP-70 restoration in mice by in vivo thymic electroporation. PLoS One 2008 Apr; 3(4): e2059.

Irla M, Saade M, Fernandez C, Chasson L, Victorero G, Dahmane N, Chazal G, Nguyen C, Neuronal distribution of spatial in the developing cerebellum and hippocampus and its somatodendritic association with the kinesin motor KIF17. Exp Cell Res 2007 Dec; 313(20): 4107-19.

Saade M, Irla M, Govin J, Victorero G, Samson M, Nguyen C, Dynamic distribution of Spatial during mouse spermatogenesis and its interaction with the kinesin KIF17b. Exp Cell Res 2007 Feb; 313(3): 614-26.

Puthier D, Joly F, Irla M, Saade M, Victorero G, Loriod B, Nguyen C, A general survey of thymocyte differentiation by transcriptional analysis of knockout mouse models. J Immunol 2004 Nov; 173(10): 6109-18.

Irla M, Puthier D, Granjeaud S, Saade M, Victorero G, Mattei MG, Nguyen C, Genomic organization and the tissue distribution of alternatively spliced isoforms of the mouse Spatial gene. BMC Genomics 2004 Jul; 5(1): 41.

Irla M, Puthier D, Le Goffic R, Victorero G, Freeman T, Naquet P, Samson M, Nguyen C, Spatial, a new nuclear factor tightly regulated during mouse spermatogenesis. Gene Expr Patterns 2003 May; 3(2): 135-8.