Assistant Professor
Willianne Hoepel
Research
My research is focusing on antibody glycosylation in relation to respiratory virus infections. Upon (respiratory) virus infection, such as influenza or COVID-19, antibody glycosylation can change compared to glycosylation of the total pool of antibodies. These changes in glycosylation affect their capacity to induce effector functions. Antibodies can modulate PRR-induced inflammation, although antibodies on their own do not induce inflammation. This concept, named antibody-dependent inflammation (ADI), is also influenced by the glycosylation of antibodies. My work has shown that the antibodies of severely ill COVID-19 patients have altered glycosylation inducing hyperinflammation in alveolar macrophages.
I have the following projects:
- I study IgA glycosylation in the nasal cavity, how this changes during viral infections and its impact on mucosal immunity during vaccination. For this I am setting up a vaccination study with an intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (VENI).
- I study IgG glycosylation in the serum of asthma and COPD patients (MIAVIC; co-PI) in relation to the development of viral-induced exacerbations (Longfonds Junior Investigator).
Antibody glycosylation analysis is done in close collaboration with CPM. Furthermore, functional studies are utilized to test the inflammatory capacity of these antibodies using human myeloid cells and primary bronchial or nasal epithelial cells.
Curriculum Vitae
I studied Biomedical Science followed by a Master Infection & Immunology at the Utrecht University. Then in 2016, I started my PhD at the AMC in the group of Dr. Jeroen den Dunnen where I studied the mechanisms of antibody-dependent inflammation. When finishing my PhD, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I stayed in the same lab to do a Postdoc on how changes in antibody glycosylation of severely ill COVID-19 patients induced hyperinflammation. Meanwhile I obtained a ZonMW Rubicon grant allowing me to move the Cambridge (UK) in 2021. In the group of Prof. Menna Clatworthy at the LMB/Cambridge University, I worked on tissue immunology and the role of IgA and infections in the kidney. I moved back to the Netherlands in 2023 and started in the group of Prof. Hermelijn Smits. In 2024, I obtained my own funding through a ZonMW VENI grant and the Junior Investigators grant of the Longfonds. Currently I am setting up my own research line focusing on antibody glycosylation in relation to (respiratory) viruses. In addition, I am a member of the Young Investigator Board of the NRS (Netherlands Respiratory Society), and the MT of research theme Infection within the LUMC.
Publications
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High titers and low fucosylation of early human anti–SARS-CoV-2 IgG promote inflammation by alveolar macrophages
Willianne Hoepel; Hung-Jen Chen; Chiara E. Geyer; Sona Allahverdiyeva; Xue D. Manz; Steven W. de Taeye; Jurjan Aman; Lynn Mes; Maurice Steenhuis; Guillermo R. Griffith et al.
Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abf8654
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Aberrant glycosylation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG is a prothrombotic stimulus for platelets
Alexander P. Bye; Willianne Hoepel; Joanne L. Mitchell; Sophie Jégouic; Silvia Loureiro; Tanya Sage; Gestur Vidarsson; Jan Nouta; Manfred Wuhrer; Steven de Taeye et al.
Blood DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021011871
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Afucosylated IgG characterizes enveloped viral responses and correlates with COVID-19 severity
Mads Delbo Larsen; Erik L. de Graaf; Myrthe E. Sonneveld; H. Rosina Plomp; Jan Nouta; Willianne Hoepel; Hung-Jen Chen; Federica Linty; Remco Visser; Maximilian Brinkhaus et al.
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.abc8378
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IgG Subclasses Shape Cytokine Responses by Human Myeloid Immune Cells through Differential Metabolic Reprogramming.
Willianne Hoepel; Sona Allahverdiyeva ; Haneen Harbiye; Steven de Taeye; Alwin van der Ham; de Boer L; Zaat SAJ; Michel van Weeghel; Baeten DLP; Riekelt H. Houtkooper et al.
Journal of Immunology DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2000263
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FcγR-TLR Cross-Talk Enhances TNF Production by Human Monocyte-Derived DCs via IRF5-Dependent Gene Transcription and Glycolytic Reprogramming.
Hoepel W; Newling M; Vogelpoel LTC; Sritharan L; Hansen IS; Kapsenberg ML; Baeten DLP; Bart Everts; Jeroen den Dunnen
Frontiers in immunology DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00739
