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Tomasello B, Bellia F, Naletova I, Magrì A, Tabbì G, Attanasio F, Tomasello MF, Cairns WRL, Fortino M, Pietropaolo A, Greco V, La Mendola D, Sciuto S, Arena G, Rizzarelli E. BDNF- and VEGF-Responsive Stimulus to an NGF Mimic Cyclic Peptide with Copper Ionophore Capability and Ctr1/CCS-Driven Signaling. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1755-1769. [PMID: 38602894 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophins are a family of growth factors that play a key role in the development and regulation of the functioning of the central nervous system. Their use as drugs is made difficult by their poor stability, cellular permeability, and side effects. Continuing our effort to use peptides that mimic the neurotrophic growth factor (NGF), the family model protein, and specifically the N-terminus of the protein, here we report on the spectroscopic characterization and resistance to hydrolysis of the 14-membered cyclic peptide reproducing the N-terminus sequence (SSSHPIFHRGEFSV (c-NGF(1-14)). Far-UV CD spectra and a computational study show that this peptide has a rigid conformation and left-handed chirality typical of polyproline II that favors its interaction with the D5 domain of the NGF receptor TrkA. c-NGF(1-14) is able to bind Cu2+ with good affinity; the resulting complexes have been characterized by potentiometric and spectroscopic measurements. Experiments on PC12 cells show that c-NGF(1-14) acts as an ionophore, influencing the degree and the localization of both the membrane transporter (Ctr1) and the copper intracellular transporter (CCS). c-NGF(1-14) induces PC12 differentiation, mimics the protein in TrkA phosphorylation, and activates the kinase cascade, inducing Erk1/2 phosphorylation. c-NGF(1-14) biological activities are enhanced when the peptide interacts with Cu2+ even with the submicromolar quantities present in the culture media as demonstrated by ICP-OES measurements. Finally, c-NGF(1-14) and Cu2+ concur to activate the cAMP response element-binding protein CREB that, in turn, induces the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le Andrea Doria 6, Catania 95125, Italy
| | - Francesco Bellia
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Antonio Magrì
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | | | | | - Warren R L Cairns
- Istituto di Scienze Polari (ISP), c/o Campus Scientifico, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia Via Torino, Venezia Mestre 155-30170, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Fortino
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Adriana Pietropaolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, A. Doria 6, Catania 95125, Italy
| | - Diego La Mendola
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pisa, Bonanno Pisano 12, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Sciuto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, A. Doria 6, Catania 95125, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Arena
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, A. Doria 6, Catania 95125, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, A. Doria 6, Catania 95125, Italy
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Zanardi R, Carminati M, Attanasio F, Fazio V, Maccario M, Colombo C. How different definition criteria may predict clinical outcome in treatment resistant depression: Results from a prospective real-world study. Psychiatry Res 2024; 334:115818. [PMID: 38422869 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Management of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a major public health challenge, also due to the lack of a consensus around TRD definition. We investigated the impact of different definitions of TRD on identifying patients with distinct features in terms of baseline characteristics, treatment strategies, and clinical outcome. We conducted a prospective naturalistic study on 538 depressed inpatients. Patients were screened for treatment resistance by two TRD definitions: looser criteria (lTRD) and stricter criteria (sTRD). We compared baseline characteristics, treatment and clinical outcome between the TRD groups and their non-TRD counterparts. 52.97 % of patients were identified as lTRD, only 28.81 % met the criteria for sTRD. sTRD patients showed lower rates of remission and slower symptom reduction compared to non-TRD patients and received more challenging treatments. Surprisingly, patients identified as sTRD also exhibited lower rates of psychiatric comorbidities, including personality disorders, substance abuse, or alcohol misuse. Stricter TRD criteria identify patients with worse clinical outcomes. Looser criteria may lead to overdiagnosis and over treatment. Clinical features known to be possible risk factors for TRD, as psychiatric comorbidities, showed to be more suggestive of a "difficult to manage" depression rather than a proper TRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Zanardi
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
| | - Matteo Carminati
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Fazio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Melania Maccario
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Fregna L, Attanasio F, Colombo C. Evaluating the impact of adjunct bright light therapy on subjective sleep quality in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2024; 348:175-178. [PMID: 38158049 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep disturbances are a fundamental feature of depression, with their persistence after remission serving as a key risk factor for recurrence of depressive episodes, suicide, and hypnotics abuse. Though Adjunct Bright Light Therapy (BLT) has shown efficacy in treating depression by improving sleep duration and timing, its impact on subjective sleep quality remains underexplored. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the effect of adjunct BLT on the subjective experience of sleep quality of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) inpatients. METHODS A randomized controlled trial was undertaken with 100 MDD consecutively admitted inpatients on consistent antidepressant regimens. Participants were divided into two groups; Group A, received pharmacotherapy augmented with BLT, Group B, received pharmacotherapy alone. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale assessed depressive symptoms, while the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) evaluated subjective sleep quality. RESULTS While both groups displayed enhanced depressive symptomatology, only Group A manifested significant improvement in perceived sleep quality (PSQI scores: A T0 8.05 ± 5.07 vs. T1 5.64 ± 3.64, p < 0.001; B T0 7.11 ± 3.17 vs. T1 6.50 ± 3.04, p = 0.072). LIMITATIONS Study limitations include its single-site design, lack of objective sleep measurement, and exclusive SSRI use, suggesting caution in generalizing findings. Further, the absence of placebo control and unmeasured expectancy effects may influence treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the criticality of subjective sleep quality in clinical evaluations and highlight the potential of adjunct BLT as an augmentation therapeutic strategy to ameliorate sleep perception in MDD patients, emphasizing its potential role in enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Fregna
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Cristina Colombo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Fregna L, Attanasio F, Colombo C. The effect of bright light therapy on irritability in bipolar depression: a single-blind randomised control trial. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2023; 27:416-418. [PMID: 37306396 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2023.2221286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The symptom-complex irritability, widely used in descriptions of bipolar patients' manic and mixed states, also represents a common feature in depressive phases. Irritability negatively affects the clinical course of depression, leading to a higher risk of treatment non-adherence, violence, and suicide attempts. Nevertheless, proportional attention from the scientific literature seems to be scarce. We conducted the first randomised controlled trial with the aim of evaluating BLT as a possible therapeutic strategy for irritability in bipolar depression. METHODS 180 inpatients were randomly assigned to: Group A exposed to bright light therapy (BLT) daily, or Group B treated with pharmacotherapy only. A qualitative assessment of irritability was performed after a 4-week program. RESULTS Group A showed about one-third fewer cases of irritability compared to Group B, this reduction was not related to the overall remission of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The present study supports the usefulness of BLT in irritability in bipolar depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Fregna
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Moretti G, Vinci B, Zito S, Caputo A, Attanasio F, Vainieri M. Monitoring the appropriate prescription of low molecular weight heparins and Fondaparinux through administrative data. A retrospective observational study in the Tuscany region. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291628. [PMID: 37708187 PMCID: PMC10501549 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Low Molecular Weight Heparins (LMWHs) and Fondaparinux have been widely used as anticoagulants. Mass prescription may lead to prescriptive inappropriateness, which causes Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and other side effects. OBJECTIVES The study investigates the appropriate prescription of LMWHs and Fondaparinux in Tuscany. We aim to validate the crude measure of prescription appropriateness of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) "Patients treated with LMWHs and Fondaparinux every hundred residents in Tuscany" as a proxy for monitoring prescription appropriateness. METHODS To compare a crude KPI based only on drug consumption with a refined KPI based on exclusions listed in the clinical guidelines, a retrospective observational cohort study was carried out, using the RECORD guidelines for the year 2019. The refined indicator is computed via record linkage of different datasets regarding (a) pharmaceutical services; (b) hospital discharge records; (c) outpatient services; and (d) birth certificates. We apply exclusion criteria to identify the cohort of patients. Values of the KPI are compared, by ranking, with those obtained from its refined version. A Spearman test was performed to validate the use of the crude KPI as a proxy. RESULTS 208,717 LMWH and Fondaparinux users are identified, of which 103,299 fall within the study's inclusion criteria. 16,817 (16%) of LMWHs and Fondaparinux users are classified as high consumption. The refined version of the KPI produces the same ranking results in terms of local health districts (rho = 0.98 p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Although the crude KPI is less refined and detailed than the adjusted indicator computed by our study, it has proven capable to provide an accurate snapshot of the use of these drugs across the region. This analysis is useful to enable regional and local managers to run rapid and simple indicators to monitor the appropriateness of LMWHs and Fondaparinux. This analysis should be reviewed periodically to confirm its accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giaele Moretti
- Management and Healthcare Laboratory, Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Bruna Vinci
- Management and Healthcare Laboratory, Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
- School of Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy, Pharmacy Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Zito
- School of Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy, Pharmacy Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessia Caputo
- Management and Healthcare Laboratory, Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Drugs and Appropriateness Policy Sector, Regional Government, Florence, Italy
| | - Milena Vainieri
- Management and Healthcare Laboratory, Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
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Naletova I, Schmalhausen E, Tomasello B, Pozdyshev D, Attanasio F, Muronetz V. The role of sperm-specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the development of pathologies-from asthenozoospermia to carcinogenesis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1256963. [PMID: 37711387 PMCID: PMC10499166 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1256963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The review considers various aspects of the influence of the glycolytic enzyme, sperm-specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDS) on the energy metabolism of spermatozoa and on the occurrence of several pathologies both in spermatozoa and in other cells. GAPDS is a unique enzyme normally found only in mammalian spermatozoa. GAPDS provides movement of the sperm flagellum through the ATP formation in glycolytic reactions. Oxidation of cysteine residues in GAPDS results in inactivation of the enzyme and decreases sperm motility. In particular, reduced sperm motility in diabetes can be associated with GAPDS oxidation by superoxide anion produced during glycation reactions. Mutations in GAPDS gene lead in the loss of motility, and in some cases, disrupts the formation of the structural elements of the sperm flagellum, in which the enzyme incorporates during spermiogenesis. GAPDS activation can be used to increase the spermatozoa fertility, and inhibitors of this enzyme are being tried as contraceptives. A truncated GAPDS lacking the N-terminal fragment of 72 amino acids that attaches the enzyme to the sperm flagellum was found in melanoma cell lines and then in specimens of melanoma and other tumors. Simultaneous production of the somatic form of GAPDH and sperm-specific GAPDS in cancer cells leads to a reorganization of their energy metabolism, which is accompanied by a change in the efficiency of metastasis of certain forms of cancer. Issues related to the use of GAPDS for the diagnosis of cancer, as well as the possibility of regulating the activity of this enzyme to prevent metastasis, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, Catania, Italy
| | - Elena Schmalhausen
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Denis Pozdyshev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Vladimir Muronetz
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Butlerov Chemical Institute, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
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Bellia F, Lanza V, Naletova I, Tomasello B, Ciaffaglione V, Greco V, Sciuto S, Amico P, Inturri R, Vaccaro S, Campagna T, Attanasio F, Tabbì G, Rizzarelli E. Copper(II) Complexes with Carnosine Conjugates of Hyaluronic Acids at Different Dipeptide Loading Percentages Behave as Multiple SOD Mimics and Stimulate Nrf2 Translocation and Antioxidant Response in In Vitro Inflammatory Model. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1632. [PMID: 37627627 PMCID: PMC10452038 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
A series of copper(II) complexes with the formula [Cu2+Hy(x)Car%] varying the molecular weight (MW) of Hyaluronic acid (Hy, x = 200 or 700 kDa) conjugated with carnosine (Car) present at different loading were synthesized and characterized via different spectroscopic techniques. The metal complexes behaved as Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mimics and showed some of the most efficient reaction rate values produced using a synthetic and water-soluble copper(II)-based SOD mimic reported to date. The increase in the percentage of Car moieties parallels the enhancement of the I50 value determined via the indirect method of Fridovich. The presence of the non-functionalized Hy OH groups favors the scavenger activity of the copper(II) complexes with HyCar, recalling similar behavior previously found for the copper(II) complexes with Car conjugated using β-cyclodextrin or trehalose. In keeping with the new abilities of SOD1 to activate protective agents against oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis diseases, Cu2+ interaction with HyCar promotes the nuclear translocation of erythroid 2-related factor that regulates the expressions of target genes, including Heme-Oxigenase-1, thus stimulating an antioxidant response in osteoblasts subjected to an inflammatory/oxidative insult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bellia
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Valeria Lanza
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Valeria Ciaffaglione
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Sebastiano Sciuto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Pietro Amico
- Fidia Farmaceutici SpA, Contrada Pizzuta, 96017 Noto, Italy; (P.A.); (R.I.); (S.V.)
| | - Rosanna Inturri
- Fidia Farmaceutici SpA, Contrada Pizzuta, 96017 Noto, Italy; (P.A.); (R.I.); (S.V.)
| | - Susanna Vaccaro
- Fidia Farmaceutici SpA, Contrada Pizzuta, 96017 Noto, Italy; (P.A.); (R.I.); (S.V.)
| | - Tiziana Campagna
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research (CNR), P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (V.L.); (I.N.); (V.C.); (T.C.); (F.A.); (E.R.)
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
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Naletova I, Tomasello B, Attanasio F, Pleshkan VV. Prospects for the Use of Metal-Based Nanoparticles as Adjuvants for Local Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051346. [PMID: 37242588 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is among the most effective approaches for treating cancer. One of the key aspects for successful immunotherapy is to achieve a strong and stable antitumor immune response. Modern immune checkpoint therapy demonstrates that cancer can be defeated. However, it also points out the weaknesses of immunotherapy, as not all tumors respond to therapy and the co-administration of different immunomodulators may be severely limited due to their systemic toxicity. Nevertheless, there is an established way through which to increase the immunogenicity of immunotherapy-by the use of adjuvants. These enhance the immune response without inducing such severe adverse effects. One of the most well-known and studied adjuvant strategies to improve immunotherapy efficacy is the use of metal-based compounds, in more modern implementation-metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs), which are exogenous agents that act as danger signals. Adding innate immune activation to the main action of an immunomodulator makes it capable of eliciting a robust anti-cancer immune response. The use of an adjuvant has the peculiarity of a local administration of the drug, which positively affects its safety. In this review, we will consider the use of MNPs as low-toxicity adjuvants for cancer immunotherapy, which could provide an abscopal effect when administered locally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Victor V Pleshkan
- Gene Immunooncotherapy Group, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia
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Marcellusi A, Ragonese A, Marinozzi A, Bortolami A, Mucherino S, Moreno C, Antenori A, Ferrario M, Simonelli C, Zanuzzi M, Cicoira M, Lasala R, Russoniello F, Attanasio F, Donati C, Roni C, Gemmi F, Mennini FS, Russo P, Scroccaro G, Canonico PL. Buone pratiche per lo sviluppo dei modelli di budget impact a livello regionale. Glob Reg Health Technol Assess 2023; 10:53-61. [PMID: 37408853 PMCID: PMC10318586 DOI: 10.33393/grhta.2023.2582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The present work aims to discuss the current scenario of procedures and regulations regarding budget impact analysis/models (BIA/BIM) at regional level in Italy and to provide a standardized approach and detailed recommendations for developing these analyses. Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted in order to collect existing guidelines or specific regional procedures for budget impact analysis in Italy. All the records were analysed in qualitative terms according to a pre-specified analytical framework, based on the ISPOR BIA guidelines. At the end of the analysis, a consensus questionnaire was developed to establish agreed approaches and to provide possible solutions to any critical issues. A list of 39 statements was developed. The survey was distributed to 69 experts who rated their level of agreement with each statement on a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was predefined as more than 66% of the panel agreeing/disagreeing with any given statement. Results: Sisty-nine experts answered the questionnaire; a total of 30/39 statements achieved consensus. There was agreement on most of the statements. Time horizon to consider and costs were the issues on which no agreement was found. The results allowed the working group to define a list of good practices. Conclusion: While the structure and development of BIM are now well-known and well-applied at national level, there remains a great diversity of management of BIM tools at regional level. Consensus was reached among participating experts, as to the main characteristics, determinants and features of regional BIA/BIM in the perspective of the Italian payer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marcellusi
- Economic Evaluation and HTA (EEHTA-CEIS), Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Roma
| | - Angela Ragonese
- Economic Evaluation and HTA (EEHTA-CEIS), Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Roma
| | | | | | - Sara Mucherino
- CIRFF- Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca in Farmacoeconomia e Farmacoutilizzazione, Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli
| | | | - Amalia Antenori
- Lead Pricing, Reimbursement & Access, Eli Lilly Italy Spa, Roma
| | | | - Claudia Simonelli
- Study and Scientific Solutions, Medtronic Clinical & Regulatory Solutions (MCRS), Roma
| | - Matteo Zanuzzi
- Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, Ufficio Valutazioni Economiche, Roma
| | | | | | | | | | - Caterina Donati
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, (FC)
| | - Chiara Roni
- Direzione Centrale Salute, Politiche Sociali e Disabilità, Assistenza Farmaceutica, Regione Autonoma Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trieste
| | | | - Francesco Saverio Mennini
- EEHTA CEIS, Facoltà di Economia, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Roma, Presidente SiHTA
| | - Pierluigi Russo
- Direttore Ufficio Valutazioni Economiche e Ufficio Registri di Monitoraggio, Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA), Roma
| | - Giovanna Scroccaro
- Direzione Farmaceutico-Protesica Dispositivi Medici, Area Sanità e Sociale, Regione del Veneto, Venezia
| | - Pier Luigi Canonico
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale; Presidente ISPOR Italy Rome Chapter, Novara - Italy
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10
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Guidotti E, Seghieri C, Vinci B, Borghini A, Attanasio F. Monitoring Appropriate Monoclonal Antibodies Prescribing via Administrative Data: An Application to Psoriasis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15101238. [PMID: 36297350 PMCID: PMC9610535 DOI: 10.3390/ph15101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and the Italian Regional Health Systems have implemented measures together with data collection and analysis to improve medicines' appropriate prescription. Administrative databases represent rich Real-World Evidence (RWE) sources that may be leveraged for research purposes. Thus, such heritage may allow for appropriate prescription studies to be carried out on complex pharmaceutical molecules, as the appropriateness of prescriptions is essential both for patients' treatment and to ensure healthcare systems' sustainability. This study analyzed the appropriate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) prescribed in psoriasis treatment across Tuscany, Italy. Data were extracted from several large administrative databases collected by the Tuscan Regional Healthcare System through record linkages. The analysis showed that over 30% of the 2020 cohort of psoriatic patients could be regarded as potentially inappropriate treated, signaling that mAbs are often prescribed as first-line treatment contrary to guidelines. Variation was observed in the appropriate prescription of mAbs, across different types of mAbs and areas. The study revealed potential inappropriate prescription, and its geographic variation should raise awareness among managers about the appropriate use of resources. Despite limitations, this could represent a pilot for future studies to evaluate the appropriate prescription of mAbs in other clinic conditions and across time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guidotti
- Management and Health Laboratory, Institute of Management and Department EMbeDS, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Chiara Seghieri
- Management and Health Laboratory, Institute of Management and Department EMbeDS, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Bruna Vinci
- Management and Health Laboratory, Institute of Management and Department EMbeDS, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- SSFO, Pharmacy Department, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alice Borghini
- Management and Health Laboratory, Institute of Management and Department EMbeDS, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Drugs and Appropriateness Policy Sector, Regional Government, 50139 Florence, Italy
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11
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Sarzetto A, Cavallini MC, Fregna L, Pacchioni F, Attanasio F, Barbini B, Franchini L, Colombo C. Sleep architecture modifications after double chronotherapy: A case series of bipolar depressed inpatients. Psychiatry Res 2022; 316:114781. [PMID: 36001930 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to objectively evaluate sleep architecture changes of depressed bipolar subjects treated with chronoterapeutics. Eleven depressed bipolar inpatients received 3 cycles of Total Sleep Deprivation, followed by daily light therapy sessions for one week. Polysomnography was performed before and after the treatment. Depressive symptoms significantly reduced, and sleep architecture changed with significant differences in N2% and N3% and REM density. Change in N3% was also positively correlated to depressive symptoms reduction. Although, previous studies reported sleep architecture changes after chronoterapeutics in unipolar depression, this is the first study to demonstrate changes also in bipolar depressed subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Sarzetto
- School of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy; Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy.
| | - Maria Cristina Cavallini
- Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fregna
- Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Federico Pacchioni
- School of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy; Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- School of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy; Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Barbara Barbini
- Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Linda Franchini
- Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- School of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy; Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan 20127, Italy
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12
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Zanardi R, Manfredi E, Attanasio F, Carminati M, Colombo C. A blemish on bipolar disorder: aggressive behaviour. Eur Psychiatry 2022. [PMCID: PMC9567120 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.1043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Many studies have searched for an association between violence and psychiatric diagnoses, without providing a confirmative result. Objectives We have sought to deepen this topic, analysing different aspects of aggressivity, focusing on a specific diagnosis and its particular phases of illness, and looking for a correlation between psychiatric co-diagnoses and outpatients’ visits adherence. Methods We studied 151 bipolar type I inpatients presenting complaint, past medical and family history; we collected information about lifetime hetero/self-aggressive behaviours, irritability, agitation, suicide attempts, alcohol, or substance abuse. Results ![]()
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The overall aggressivity in our sample resulted in 11.92% of cases, while the number of aggressive episodes during euthymia decreased to 2.64%, close to the population without psychiatric disorders. Personality disorders and alcohol abuse appeared to be the main risk factors for irritability [Fig. 1]; substance abuse for both irritability and hetero-aggressive behaviour [Fig. 2]. We observed that subjects who displayed better compliance to follow-up visits exhibited a significant lower aggressive behaviour than less adherent subjects. Moreover, our data disconfirm the common conception that correlates the presence of psychotic features to violence. Conclusions Studying aggressive in a bipolar population, we observed that the rare episodes of aggressiveness were condensed in active phases of illness and mainly related to alcohol or substance abuse, while violent acts during long periods of wellbeing appear in line with those of the general population. We are confident our data might be helpful in deconstructing the stigma that a psychiatric diagnosis equals to violent behaviour. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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13
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Zanardi R, Attanasio F, De Cesare C, Fazio V, Colombo C. Resistance or pseudo-resistance? Eur Psychiatry 2022. [PMCID: PMC9567005 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Treatment-Resistant Depression continues to represent a great challenge for clinicians.
Objectives
We investigated patients with history of resistance, assessing prognostic factors, response to treatments, and remission over time.
Methods
We recruited 202 unipolar and bipolar depressed inpatients. According to anamnestic backgrounds, patients were assigned to: A) Non-resistant
: responders, with no characteristics of resistance in the current episode. B) Resistant: resistant to two antidepressant trials of adequate doses and duration. C) Pseudo-resistant
: non-responders, not classifiable as Resistant because of inadequate trials. During hospitalization, patients were treated by clinical judgment, following a rehabilitation program.
Results
Table 1
Non-resistant (111)
Resistant (54)
Pseudo-resistant (35)
p-value
Age
59.1±11.9
63.0±12.6
57.0±11.3
0.036*
Episodes of illness
3.8±2.1
4.0±1.9
3.0±1.8
0.036*
Personality disorders
27.0%
18.9%
48.6%
0.009**
Therapies:
0.014**
SSRI
62.4%
40.4%
69.7%
SNRI
19.8%
42.3%
15.1%
TCA
17.8%
17.3%
15.1%
Augmentation
24.3%
38.9%
17.1%
0.05**
Remission
76.5%
59.5%
81.2%
CvsB:0.045** CvsA:0.587**
On the day of admission, non-responders were 44.5% of the sample, but 39.3% of them did not meet the Resistant criteria, defining the Pseudo-resistant
group. Pseudo-resistant
differed from others by younger age, fewer illness episodes, higher rate of personality disorders, and different therapies during hospitalization [Fig.1,2,3]. Pseudo-resistant
remission rate, significantly greater than Resistant one, was comparable to Non-resistant
[Tab.1]. *Kruskal-Wallis Test **Chi-Squared Test
Conclusions
This study outlines a new group of depressed patients that, apparently drug-resistant, displays the same outcome as responders when treated with first-line drugs during hospitalization, certainly taking benefit from the psychoeducational program. Quick recognition of these patients could be crucial to giving optimal care.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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14
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Pacchioni F, Cavallini M, Fregna L, Sarzetto A, Attanasio F, Barbini B, Colombo C. Manic patients and sleep management: the role of polysomnography in clinical practice. Eur Psychiatry 2022. [PMCID: PMC9567033 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.1036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Sleep plays a key role in the pathogenesis and clinic of mood disorders. However, few studies have investigated electroencephalographic sleep parameters during the manic phases of Bipolar Disorder (BD).
Objectives
Sleep management is a priority objective in the treatment of the manic phases of BD and the polysomnographic investigation can be a valid tool both in the diagnostic phase and in monitoring clinical progress.
Methods
Twenty-one patients affected by BD, manic phase, were subjected to sleep monitoring via PSG in the acute phase (at the entrance to the ward) and in the resolution phase (near discharge). All participants were also clinically evaluated using Young Manic Rating Scale (YMRS) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Morningness-eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) at different timepoints.
Results
Over the hospitalization time frame there was an increase in quantity (Total Sleep Time) and an improvement in the quality and effectiveness of sleep (Sleep Efficiency). In addition, from the point of view of the EEG structure, clinical improvement was accompanied by an increase in the percentage of REM sleep.
Conclusions
Sleep monitoring by PSG can be a valuable tool in the clinical setting both in the diagnostic phase, “objectively” ascertaining the amount of sleep, and in the prognostic phase, identifying electroencephalographic characteristics that can predict the patient’s progress and response to drug therapy. The improvement in effectiveness and continuity of sleep and the change in its structure that accompanies the resolution of manic symptoms also testifies how the regularization of the sleep-wake rhythm is to be considered a priority in treating manic phases.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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15
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Magrì A, Tabbì G, Naletova I, Attanasio F, Arena G, Rizzarelli E. A Deeper Insight in Metal Binding to the hCtr1 N-terminus Fragment: Affinity, Speciation and Binding Mode of Binuclear Cu 2+ and Mononuclear Ag + Complex Species. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23062929. [PMID: 35328348 PMCID: PMC8953729 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23062929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ctr1 regulates copper uptake and its intracellular distribution. The first 14 amino acid sequence of the Ctr1 ectodomain Ctr1(1-14) encompasses the characteristic Amino Terminal Cu2+ and Ni2+ binding motif (ATCUN) as well as the bis-His binding motif (His5 and His6). We report a combined thermodynamic and spectroscopic (UV-vis, CD, EPR) study dealing with the formation of Cu2+ homobinuclear complexes with Ctr1(1-14), the percentage of which is not negligible even in the presence of a small Cu2+ excess and clearly prevails at a M/L ratio of 1.9. Ascorbate fails to reduce Cu2+ when bound to the ATCUN motif, while it reduces Cu2+ when bound to the His5-His6 motif involved in the formation of binuclear species. The histidine diade characterizes the second binding site and is thought to be responsible for ascorbate oxidation. Binding constants and speciation of Ag+ complexes with Ctr1(1-14), which are assumed to mimic Cu+ interaction with N-terminus of Ctr1(1-14), were also determined. A preliminary immunoblot assay evidences that the anti-Ctr1 extracellular antibody recognizes Ctr1(1-14) in a different way from the longer Ctr1(1-25) that encompasses a second His and Met rich domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Magrì
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (G.T.); (I.N.)
| | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (G.T.); (I.N.)
| | - Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (G.T.); (I.N.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Ricerca dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici, Via Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (G.T.); (I.N.)
- Correspondence: (F.A.); (E.R.); Tel.: +39-095-7385070 (E.R.)
| | - Giuseppe Arena
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research, CNR, S.S. Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (G.T.); (I.N.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Ricerca dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici, Via Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
- Correspondence: (F.A.); (E.R.); Tel.: +39-095-7385070 (E.R.)
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16
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Sciacca MF, Naletova I, Giuffrida ML, Attanasio F. Semax, a Synthetic Regulatory Peptide, Affects Copper-Induced Abeta Aggregation and Amyloid Formation in Artificial Membrane Models. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:486-496. [PMID: 35080861 PMCID: PMC8855339 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Alzheimer’s
disease, the most common form of dementia, is
characterized by the aggregation of amyloid beta protein (Aβ).
The aggregation and toxicity of Aβ are strongly modulated by
metal ions and phospholipidic membranes. In particular, Cu2+ ions play a pivotal role in modulating Aβ aggregation. Although
in the last decades several natural or synthetic compounds were evaluated
as candidate drugs, to date, no treatments are available for the pathology.
Multifunctional compounds able to both inhibit fibrillogenesis, and
in particular the formation of oligomeric species, and prevent the
formation of the Aβ:Cu2+ complex are of particular
interest. Here we tested the anti-aggregating properties of a heptapeptide,
Semax, an ACTH-like peptide, which is known to form a stable complex
with Cu2+ ions and has been proven to have neuroprotective
and nootropic effects. We demonstrated through a combination of spectrofluorometric,
calorimetric, and MTT assays that Semax not only is able to prevent
the formation of Aβ:Cu2+ complexes but also has anti-aggregating
and protective properties especially in the presence of Cu2+. The results suggest that Semax inhibits fiber formation by interfering
with the fibrillogenesis of Aβ:Cu2+ complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele F.M. Sciacca
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cristallografia, Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Irina Naletova
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cristallografia, Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Maria Laura Giuffrida
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cristallografia, Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Cristallografia, Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, Catania 95126, Italy
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17
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Naletova I, Greco V, Sciuto S, Attanasio F, Rizzarelli E. Ionophore Ability of Carnosine and Its Trehalose Conjugate Assists Copper Signal in Triggering Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Activation In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13504. [PMID: 34948299 PMCID: PMC8706131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
l-carnosine (β-alanyl-l-histidine) (Car hereafter) is a natural dipeptide widely distributed in mammalian tissues and reaching high concentrations (0.7-2.0 mM) in the brain. The molecular features of the dipeptide underlie the antioxidant, anti-aggregating and metal chelating ability showed in a large number of physiological effects, while the biological mechanisms involved in the protective role found against several diseases cannot be explained on the basis of the above-mentioned properties alone, requiring further research efforts. It has been reported that l-carnosine increases the secretion and expression of various neurotrophic factors and affects copper homeostasis in nervous cells inducing Cu cellular uptake in keeping with the key metal-sensing system. Having in mind this l-carnosine ability, here we report the copper-binding and ionophore ability of l-carnosine to activate tyrosine kinase cascade pathways in PC12 cells and stimulate the expression of BDNF. Furthermore, the study was extended to verify the ability of the dipeptide to favor copper signaling inducing the expression of VEGF. Being aware that the potential protective action of l-carnosine is drastically hampered by its hydrolysis, we also report on the behavior of a conjugate of l-carnosine with trehalose that blocks the carnosinase degradative activity. Overall, our findings describe a copper tuning effect on the ability of l-carnosine and, particularly its conjugate, to activate tyrosine kinase cascade pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Naletova
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research—CNR, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy;
- National Inter-University Consortium Metals Chemistry in Biological Systems (CIRCMSB), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Sebastiano Sciuto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research—CNR, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy;
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Crystallography, National Council of Research—CNR, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy;
- National Inter-University Consortium Metals Chemistry in Biological Systems (CIRCMSB), Via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.G.); (S.S.)
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18
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Barbini B, Attanasio F, Manfredi E, Cavallini MC, Zanardi R, Colombo C. Bright light therapy accelerates the antidepressant effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in treatment resistant depression: a pilot study. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2021; 25:375-377. [PMID: 33734000 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2021.1894579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: We performed a randomized single-blinded study to assess the superiority of the combination strategy of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and Bright Light Therapy (BLT) over rTMS treatment alone in reducing depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).Methods: We enrolled 80 inpatients with a diagnosis of TRD. All patients were randomly assigned into two groups: group A was treated with rTMS, compared to group B treated with a combination of rTMS and BLT. Depressive symptoms were weekly assessed (T0, T1, T2, T3) through the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS-17).Results: rANOVA (F=2.766, p=0.043) and post-hoc in HDRS-17 showed significant better scores in favour of group B every week (p<0.025, T1: 22.075 vs 17.200; T2: 16.100 vs 12.775; T3: 12.225 vs 8.900).Conclusions: The antidepressant effect of rTMS was enhanced and accelerated by its combination with BLT in treating resistant depression.KEYPOINTSAlmost one third of depressed patients does not respond to antidepressants; emerging neuromodulation and chronobiological techniques are effective antidepressant augmentation treatments.The aim of this study was to assess the superiority of the combination strategy of Light Therapy and TMS over TMS treatment alone in a group of treatment resistant depressed patients.The implication of this study in clinical practice is that a safe, low risk and cost-effective treatment, as Light Therapy, improves and accelerates the antidepressant effect of TMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Barbini
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Manfredi
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Cavallini
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Zanardi
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
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19
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Sarzetto A, Cavallini MC, Fregna L, Attanasio F, Pacchioni F, Barbini B, Franchini L, Colombo C. Blue blocking glasses for the treatment of mania in an elderly patient: A case report with polysomnographic findings. Bipolar Disord 2021; 23:367-639. [PMID: 33561902 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.13051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Sarzetto
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
| | | | - Lorenzo Fregna
- Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele-Turro, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
| | - Federico Pacchioni
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
| | | | | | - Cristina Colombo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Lombardia, Italy.,Mood Disorder Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele-Turro, Milano, Italy
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20
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Genovese C, D’Angeli F, Bellia F, Distefano A, Spampinato M, Attanasio F, Nicolosi D, Di Salvatore V, Tempera G, Lo Furno D, Mannino G, Milardo F, Li Volti G. Correction: Genovese et al. In Vitro Antibacterial, Anti-Adhesive and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Krameria lappacea (Dombey) Burdet & B.B. Simpson Root Extract against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains. Antibiotics 2021, 10, 428. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10070799. [PMID: 34209470 PMCID: PMC8300609 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Genovese
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
- Nacture S.r.l, Spin-Off University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0954781252
| | - Floriana D’Angeli
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.D.); (A.D.); (M.S.); (G.L.V.)
- Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele Roma Open University, via Val Cannuta 247, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Bellia
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Alfio Distefano
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.D.); (A.D.); (M.S.); (G.L.V.)
| | - Mariarita Spampinato
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.D.); (A.D.); (M.S.); (G.L.V.)
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Daria Nicolosi
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
- Nacture S.r.l, Spin-Off University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Valentina Di Salvatore
- Section of General and Clinical Pathology and Oncology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Gianna Tempera
- Nacture S.r.l, Spin-Off University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Debora Lo Furno
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (D.L.F.); (G.M.)
| | - Giuliana Mannino
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (D.L.F.); (G.M.)
| | - Fabio Milardo
- Herbalist Shop of Dr. Milardo Fabio, via Fonte 2, 96010 Melilli, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.D.); (A.D.); (M.S.); (G.L.V.)
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Guidotti E, Vinci B, Attanasio F, Vola F. Effective tools to manage biosimilars prescription: The Italian experience. Health Policy and Technology 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2020.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zanardi R, Poletti S, Prestifilippo D, Attanasio F, Barbini B, Colombo C. Transcranial direct current stimulation: A novel approach in the treatment of vascular depression. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:1559-1565. [PMID: 32896644 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the impact of depression in terms of personal suffering and socioeconomic burden, most currently available treatment options are often ineffective. A particularly difficult-to-treat depressive disorder characteristic of the elderly is vascular depression, a late-life depressive syndrome related to a variety of potential vascular mechanisms. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive and effective somatic approach to depression, also showed positive effects on cognitive deficits. AIM We performed a double-blind randomized study to investigate the efficacy of tDCS as augmentation strategy to sertraline in the treatment of vascular depression, hypothesizing a positive effect in both depressive symptoms and cognitive functions. METHODS We enrolled 93 inpatients over 60 years of age with a diagnosis of vascular depression. Depressive symptoms were weekly assessed (T0, T1, T2) with the 21-items Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS). Cognitive functioning was evaluated with the Milan Overall Dementia Assessment (MODA) at baseline and after the treatment protocol. All patients were randomly assigned into three groups, Group I: one tDCS stimulation per day, Group II: two tDCS stimulations per day, Sham group: one sham tDCS stimulation per day. Stimulation was performed for 10 consecutive working days. RESULTS A significant interaction time∗treatment was observed on HDRS scores (F = 14, p < 0.001). All groups improved at T1 but whereas Group II significantly differed from the Sham group (p < 0.001) we observed no difference between Sham and Group I. At T2 all groups improved but Group II showed the greater improvement (vs. Sham p < 0.001; vs. Group I p < 0.001) and the Sham group the smallest (vs. Group I p = 0.005). A significant interaction time∗treatment was also observed on MODA scores (F = 3.31, p = 0.04). Only subjects treated with tDCS improved at T2 (Group I: p < 0.001; Group II: p = 0.007). However, no difference between Group I and II was shown. CONCLUSION tDCS as augmentation treatment of an adequate pharmacotherapy is a potential strategy in the management of vascular depression, a disease known to be often unresponsive to antidepressants only. Non-invasiveness, the absence of severe side effects and the possibility of administering it to outpatients at an affordable price make tDCS an important tool in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Zanardi
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sara Poletti
- University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy
| | - Dario Prestifilippo
- University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Barbini
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mood Disorder Unit, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Milan, Italy
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Trapani G, Caruso VCL, Cucci LM, Attanasio F, Tabbì G, Forte G, La Mendola D, Satriano C. Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Tailored With Aromatic Dipeptide Nanoassemblies for a Tuneable Interaction With Cell Membranes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:427. [PMID: 32457892 PMCID: PMC7227426 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered graphene-based derivatives are attractive and promising candidates for nanomedicine applications because of their versatility as 2D nanomaterials. However, the safe application of these materials needs to solve the still unanswered issue of graphene nanotoxicity. In this work, we investigated the self-assembly of dityrosine peptides driven by graphene oxide (GO) and/or copper ions in the comparison with the more hydrophobic diphenylalanine dipeptide. To scrutinize the peptide aggregation process, in the absence or presence of GO and/or Cu2+, we used atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism, UV-visible, fluorescence and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies. The perturbative effect by the hybrid nanomaterials made of peptide-decorated GO nanosheets on model cell membranes of supported lipid bilayers was investigated. In particular, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching techniques were used to track the changes in the viscoelastic properties and fluidity of the cell membrane, respectively. Also, cellular experiments with two model tumour cell lines at a short time of incubation, evidenced the high potential of this approach to set up versatile nanoplatforms for nanomedicine and theranostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Trapani
- Scuola Superiore di Catania, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Lorena Maria Cucci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Nano Hybrid BioInterfaces Lab (NHBIL), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Institute of Crystallography - National Council of Research, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Forte
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Satriano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Nano Hybrid BioInterfaces Lab (NHBIL), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Seghi F, Vai B, Barbini B, Attanasio F, Benedetti F, Colombo C. P82 Neurobiologic and clinical correlates of low-frequency TMS over the left DorsoLateral Prefrontal Cortex in Manic Episode. Clin Neurophysiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.12.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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25
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Attanasio F, Barbini B, Seghi F, Prestifilippo D, Zanardi R, Cavallini C, Colombo C. P104 Treatment resistant depression: rTMS combined with Light Therapy, a novel approach. Clin Neurophysiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.12.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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26
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Genovese C, D’Angeli F, Attanasio F, Caserta G, Scarpaci KS, Nicolosi D. Phytochemical composition and biological activities of Orobanche crenata Forssk.: a review. Nat Prod Res 2020; 35:4579-4595. [DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2020.1739042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Genovese
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Microbiology section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Nacture S.r.l, Spin-off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Floriana D’Angeli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biochemistry section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Gaetano Caserta
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Microbiology section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Kevin Sebastiano Scarpaci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Microbiology section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Daria Nicolosi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Microbiology section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Nacture S.r.l, Spin-off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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27
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Messori A, Attanasio F, Trippoli S, Banfi R. Orphan drugs. Lancet 2019; 393:1595. [PMID: 31007198 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30015-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messori
- Sector of Pharmaceutics, Regional Health Service, Regione Toscana, 50135 Firenze, Italy.
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Sector of Pharmaceutics, Regional Health Service, Regione Toscana, 50135 Firenze, Italy
| | - Sabrina Trippoli
- Sector of Pharmaceutics, Regional Health Service, Regione Toscana, 50135 Firenze, Italy
| | - Roberto Banfi
- Sector of Pharmaceutics, Regional Health Service, Regione Toscana, 50135 Firenze, Italy
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28
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Galati C, Spinella N, Renna L, Milardi D, Attanasio F, Sciacca MFM, Bongiorno C. Strategy to discover full-length amyloid-beta peptide ligands using high-efficiency microarray technology. Beilstein J Nanotechnol 2017; 8:2446-2453. [PMID: 29234579 PMCID: PMC5704750 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.8.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Although the formation of β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrils in neuronal tissues is a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD), small-sized Aβ oligomers rather than mature fibrils have been identified as the most neurotoxic species. Therefore, the design of new inhibitors, able to prevent the aggregation of Aβ, is believed to be a promising therapeutic approach to AD. Unfortunately, the short-lived intermediate structures that occur in a solution along the Aβ aggregation pathway escape conventional experimental investigations and there is urgent need of new tools aimed at the discovery of agents targeting monomeric Aβ and blocking the early steps of amyloid aggregation. Here, we show the combination of high-efficiency slides (HESs) with peptide microarrays as a promising tool for identifying small peptides that bind Aβ monomers. To this aim, HESs with two immobilized reference peptides, (i.e., KLVFF and Semax) with opposite behavior, were investigated for binding to fluorescently labeled Aβ peptide. Transmission electron microscopy was used to demonstrate Aβ fibrillar aggregates missing. The use of HESs was critical to ensure convenient output of the fluorescent microarrays. The resulting sensitivity, as well as the low sample consumption and the high potential for miniaturization, suggests that the proposed combination of peptide microarrays and highly efficient slides would be a very effective technology for molecule profiling in AD drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clelia Galati
- STMicroelectronics, Stradale Primosole, 95121, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Lucio Renna
- STMicroelectronics, Stradale Primosole, 95121, Catania, Italy
| | - Danilo Milardi
- CNR-Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Catania, Italy
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29
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Sinopoli A, Giuffrida A, Tomasello MF, Giuffrida ML, Leone M, Attanasio F, Caraci F, De Bona P, Naletova I, Saviano M, Copani A, Pappalardo G, Rizzarelli E. Corrigendum: Ac-LPFFD-Th: A Trehalose-Conjugated Peptidomimetic as a Strong Suppressor of Amyloid-β Oligomer Formation and Cytotoxicity. Chembiochem 2016; 17:1993. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201600502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Santoro AM, Monaco I, Attanasio F, Lanza V, Pappalardo G, Tomasello MF, Cunsolo A, Rizzarelli E, De Luigi A, Salmona M, Milardi D. Copper(II) ions affect the gating dynamics of the 20S proteasome: a molecular and in cell study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33444. [PMID: 27633879 PMCID: PMC5025780 DOI: 10.1038/srep33444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to their altered metabolism cancer cells are more sensitive to proteasome inhibition or changes of copper levels than normal cells. Thus, the development of copper complexes endowed with proteasome inhibition features has emerged as a promising anticancer strategy. However, limited information is available about the exact mechanism by which copper inhibits proteasome. Here we show that Cu(II) ions simultaneously inhibit the three peptidase activities of isolated 20S proteasomes with potencies (IC50) in the micromolar range. Cu(II) ions, in cell-free conditions, neither catalyze red-ox reactions nor disrupt the assembly of the 20S proteasome but, rather, promote conformational changes associated to impaired channel gating. Notably, HeLa cells grown in a Cu(II)-supplemented medium exhibit decreased proteasome activity. This effect, however, was attenuated in the presence of an antioxidant. Our results suggest that if, on one hand, Cu(II)-inhibited 20S activities may be associated to conformational changes that favor the closed state of the core particle, on the other hand the complex effect induced by Cu(II) ions in cancer cells is the result of several concurring events including ROS-mediated proteasome flooding, and disassembly of the 26S proteasome into its 20S and 19S components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Santoro
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Irene Monaco
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
- Fondazione RiMed, Via Bandiera 11, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Valeria Lanza
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Marianna Flora Tomasello
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandra Cunsolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Ada De Luigi
- IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156, Milano, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156, Milano, Italy
| | - Danilo Milardi
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - CNR Sede di Catania, Via P. Gaifami, 9- 95126 Catania, Italy
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31
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Magrì A, Tabbì G, Giuffrida A, Pappalardo G, Satriano C, Naletova I, Nicoletti VG, Attanasio F. Influence of the N-terminus acetylation of Semax, a synthetic analog of ACTH(4-10), on copper(II) and zinc(II) coordination and biological properties. J Inorg Biochem 2016; 164:59-69. [PMID: 27586814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Semax is a heptapeptide (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) that encompasses the sequence 4-7 of N-terminal domain of the adrenocorticotropic hormone and a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide. N-terminal amino group acetylation (Ac-Semax) modulates the chemical and biological properties of parental peptide, modifying the ability of Semax to form complex species with Cu(II) ion. At physiological pH, the main complex species formed by Ac-Semax, [CuLH-2]2-, consists in a distorted CuN3O chromophore with a weak apical interaction of the methionine sulphur. Such a complex differs from the Cu(II)-Semax complex system, which exhibits a CuN4 chromophore. The reduced ligand field affects the [CuLH-2]2- formal redox potential, which is more positive than that of Cu(II)-Semax corresponding species. In the amino-free form, the resulting complex species is redox-stable and unreactive against ascorbic acid, unlike the acetylated form. Semax acetylation did not protect from Cu(II) induced toxicity on a SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line, thus demonstrating the crucial role played by the free NH2 terminus in the cell protection. Since several brain diseases are associated either to Cu(II) or Zn(II) dyshomeostasis, here we characterized also the complex species formed by Zn(II) with Semax and Ac-Semax. Both peptides were able to form Zn(II) complex species with comparable strength. Confocal microscopy imaging confirmed that peptide group acetylation does not affect the Zn(II) influx in neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, a punctuate distribution of Zn(II) within the cells suggests a preferred subcellular localization that might explain the zinc toxic effect. A future perspective can be the use of Ac-Semax as ionophore in antibody drug conjugates to produce a dysmetallostasis in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Magrì
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tabbì
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Giuffrida
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Satriano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Irina Naletova
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario C.I.R.C.S.M.B., Via C. Ulpiani 27, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Vincenzo G Nicoletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy.
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32
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Sinopoli A, Giuffrida A, Tomasello MF, Giuffrida ML, Leone M, Attanasio F, Caraci F, De Bona P, Naletova I, Saviano M, Copani A, Pappalardo G, Rizzarelli E. Ac-LPFFD-Th: A Trehalose-Conjugated Peptidomimetic as a Strong Suppressor of Amyloid-β Oligomer Formation and Cytotoxicity. Chembiochem 2016; 17:1541-9. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201600243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Sinopoli
- PhD Program in Translational Biomedicine; University of Catania; Viale A. Doria 6 95125 Catania Italy
| | - Alessandro Giuffrida
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via P. Gaifami 18 95126 Catania Italy
| | | | - Maria Laura Giuffrida
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via P. Gaifami 18 95126 Catania Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via Mezzocannone 16 80134 Naples Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via P. Gaifami 18 95126 Catania Italy
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Department of Drug Sciences; University of Catania; Viale A. Doria 6 95125 Catania Italy
| | - Paolo De Bona
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics; Washington University School of Medicine; 660 S. Euclid Avenue Box 8231 St. Louis MO 63110 USA
| | - Irina Naletova
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Catania; Viale A. Doria 6 95125 Catania Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography; CNR; Via G. Amendola 122/O 70126 Bari Italy
| | - Agata Copani
- Department of Drug Sciences; University of Catania; Viale A. Doria 6 95125 Catania Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via P. Gaifami 18 95126 Catania Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging; CNR; Via P. Gaifami 18 95126 Catania Italy
- Department of Chemical Sciences; University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6; 95125 Catania Italy
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Giuffrida ML, Tomasello MF, Pandini G, Caraci F, Battaglia G, Busceti C, Di Pietro P, Pappalardo G, Attanasio F, Chiechio S, Bagnoli S, Nacmias B, Sorbi S, Vigneri R, Rizzarelli E, Nicoletti F, Copani A. Monomeric ß-amyloid interacts with type-1 insulin-like growth factor receptors to provide energy supply to neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:297. [PMID: 26300732 PMCID: PMC4528168 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
ß-amyloid (Aß1−42) is produced by proteolytic cleavage of the transmembrane type-1 protein, amyloid precursor protein. Under pathological conditions, Aß1−42self-aggregates into oligomers, which cause synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss, and are considered the culprit of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, Aß1−42 is mainly monomeric at physiological concentrations, and the precise role of monomeric Aß1−42 in neuronal function is largely unknown. We report that the monomer of Aß1−42 activates type-1 insulin-like growth factor receptors and enhances glucose uptake in neurons and peripheral cells by promoting the translocation of the Glut3 glucose transporter from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. In neurons, activity-dependent glucose uptake was blunted after blocking endogenous Aß production, and re-established in the presence of cerebrospinal fluid Aß. APP-null neurons failed to enhance depolarization-stimulated glucose uptake unless exogenous monomeric Aß1−42 was added. These data suggest that Aß1−42 monomers were critical for maintaining neuronal glucose homeostasis. Accordingly, exogenous Aß1−42 monomers were able to rescue the low levels of glucose consumption observed in brain slices from AD mutant mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Giuffrida
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy
| | - Marianna F Tomasello
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy ; PhD Program in Neuropharmacology, University of Catania Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pandini
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Catania Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania Catania, Italy ; IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria S.S., Institute for Research on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging Troina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCCS Neuromed Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Carla Busceti
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCCS Neuromed Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Paola Di Pietro
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCCS Neuromed Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy
| | - Santina Chiechio
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Sandro Sorbi
- NEUROFARBA, University of Florence Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Vigneri
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy ; Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Catania Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCCS Neuromed Pozzilli, Italy ; Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University "La Sapienza" Rome, Italy
| | - Agata Copani
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging Catania, Italy ; Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania Catania, Italy
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Oliveri V, Grasso GI, Bellia F, Attanasio F, Viale M, Vecchio G. Soluble Sugar-Based Quinoline Derivatives as New Antioxidant Modulators of Metal-Induced Amyloid Aggregation. Inorg Chem 2015; 54:2591-602. [DOI: 10.1021/ic502713f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Oliveri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppa I. Grasso
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (IBB), CNR, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Bellia
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (IBB), CNR, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini (IBB), CNR, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126, Catania, Italy
| | - Maurizio Viale
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino − IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, U.O.C. Bioterapie, L.go R. Benzi, 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Graziella Vecchio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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Tabbì G, Magrì A, Giuffrida A, Lanza V, Pappalardo G, Naletova I, Nicoletti VG, Attanasio F, Rizzarelli E. Semax, an ACTH4-10 peptide analog with high affinity for copper(II) ion and protective ability against metal induced cell toxicity. J Inorg Biochem 2015; 142:39-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Villari V, Attanasio F, Micali N. Control of the structural stability of α-crystallin under thermal and chemical stress: the role of carnosine. J Phys Chem B 2014; 118:13770-6. [PMID: 25356752 DOI: 10.1021/jp5092009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The structural properties of α-crystallin, the major protein of the eye lens of mammals, in aqueous solution are investigated by means of small angle X-ray and dynamic light scattering. The research interest is devoted in particular to the effect of carnosine in protecting the protein under stress conditions, like temperature increase and presence of denaturant (guanidinium-HCl). The results suggest that carnosine interacts, through mechanisms involving hydrophobic interactions, with α-crystallin and avoids the structural changes in the quaternary structure induced by thermal and chemical stress. It is also shown that, if mediated by carnosine, the self-aggregation of α-crystallin induced by the denaturant at higher temperature can be controlled and even partially reversed. Therefore, carnosine is effective in preserving the structural integrity of the protein, suggesting the possibility of new strategies of intervention for preventing or treating pathologies related to protein aggregation, like cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Villari
- CNR-IPCF Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 37, 98158, Messina, Italy
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Benetti F, Biarnés X, Attanasio F, Giachin G, Rizzarelli E, Legname G. Structural determinants in prion protein folding and stability. J Mol Biol 2014; 426:3796-3810. [PMID: 25280897 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prions are responsible for a heterogeneous group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases, involving post-translational modifications of the cellular prion protein. Epidemiological studies on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a prototype prion disorder, show a majority of cases being sporadic, while the remaining occurrences are either genetic or iatrogenic. The molecular mechanisms by which PrP(C) is converted into its pathological isoform have not yet been established. While point mutations and seeds trigger the protein to cross the energy barriers, thus causing genetic and infectious transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, respectively, the mechanism responsible for sporadic forms remains unclear. Since prion diseases are protein-misfolding disorders, we investigated prion protein folding and stability as functions of different milieus. Using spectroscopic techniques and atomistic simulations, we dissected the contribution of major structural determinants, also defining the energy landscape of prion protein. In particular, we elucidated (i) the essential role of the octapeptide region in prion protein folding and stability, (ii) the presence of a very enthalpically stable intermediate in prion-susceptible species, and (iii) the role of the disulfide bridge in prion protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Benetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste, Italy; Italian Institute of Technology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati Unit, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Xevi Biarnés
- Department of Physics, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, I-34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Viale Andrea Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- National Research Council, Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Viale Andrea Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste, Italy; Italian Institute of Technology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati Unit, Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste, Italy; Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., AREA Science Park, I-34149 Basovizza Trieste, Italy.
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Oliveri V, Attanasio F, Puglisi A, Spencer J, Sgarlata C, Vecchio G. Back Cover: Multifunctional 8-Hydroxyquinoline-Appended Cyclodextrins as New Inhibitors of Metal-Induced Protein Aggregation (Chem. Eur. J. 29/2014). Chemistry 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201490121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Oliveri V, Attanasio F, Puglisi A, Spencer J, Sgarlata C, Vecchio G. Multifunctional 8-hydroxyquinoline-appended cyclodextrins as new inhibitors of metal-induced protein aggregation. Chemistry 2014; 20:8954-64. [PMID: 24863958 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201402690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests a pivotal role of metal imbalances in protein misfolding and amyloid diseases. As such, metal ions represent a promising therapeutic target. In this context, the synthesis of chelators that also contain complementary functionalities to combat the multifactorial nature of neurodegenerative diseases is a highly topical issue. We report two new 8-hydroxyquinoline-appended cyclodextrins and highlight their multifunctional properties, including their Cu(II) and Zn(II) binding abilities, and capacity to act as antioxidants and metal-induced antiaggregants. In particular, the latter property has been applied in the development of an effective assay that exploits the formation of amyloid fibrils when β-lactoglobulin A is heated in the presence of metal ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Oliveri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania (Italy); Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9QJ (UK)
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Tomasello MF, Sinopoli A, Attanasio F, Giuffrida ML, Campagna T, Milardi D, Pappalardo G. Molecular and cytotoxic properties of hIAPP17-29 and rIAPP17-29 fragments: a comparative study with the respective full-length parent polypeptides. Eur J Med Chem 2014; 81:442-55. [PMID: 24859763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The human islet polypeptide (hIAPP) or amylin is a 37-residue peptide hormone secreted by β-cells of the islet of Langerhans in the pancreas. Unlike the rat variant of IAPP (rIAPP), human amylin is highly amyloidogenic and is found as amyloid deposits in nearly 95% of patients afflicted with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Human and rat IAPP have nearly identical primary sequence differing at only six positions which are encompassed within the 17-29 aminoacid region. Using Circular Dichroism (CD), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and ThT-fluorescence (Th-T), we examined the aggregation properties of both full-length hIAPP1-37 and the related peptide fragment hIAPP17-29. For the sake of comparison, similar experiments were carried out on the respective rat variants rIAPP1-37 and rIAPP17-29. These studies were conducted at physiological pH in buffered solution not containing fluorinated co-solvents as well as in the presence of model membranes (LUV). In addition, the cytotoxic activity of the investigated peptides was determined toward different pancreatic β-cell lines. All the peptide studied in this work resulted cytotoxic despite β-sheet structure being observed, in vitro, for the hIAPP1-37 only. This suggests that β-sheet conformational transition that generally precedes the fibril formation, is not a prerequisite for toxicity towards β-cells. Interestingly, confocal microscopy indicated that the IAPP peptides can enter the cell and might exert their toxic action at an intracellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandro Sinopoli
- International PhD Program in Translational Biomedicine, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- CNR-Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Laura Giuffrida
- CNR-Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Tiziana Campagna
- CNR-Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Danilo Milardi
- CNR-Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- CNR-Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy.
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Vaiani M, Cecchi M, Colombini S, Agostino E, Attanasio F, Ceroti M, Banfi R. CPC-117 Prospective Registry For Evaluating the Effectiveness of Bevacizumab Alone or with Irinotecan in Recurrent Glioblastoma. Eur J Hosp Pharm 2013. [DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2013-000276.574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Attanasio F, Convertino M, Magno A, Caflisch A, Corazza A, Haridas H, Esposito G, Cataldo S, Pignataro B, Milardi D, Rizzarelli E. Carnosine inhibits Aβ(42) aggregation by perturbing the H-bond network in and around the central hydrophobic cluster. Chembiochem 2013; 14:583-92. [PMID: 23440928 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201200704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) into fibrillar structures is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Thus, preventing self-assembly of the Aβ peptide is an attractive therapeutic strategy. Here, we used experimental techniques and atomistic simulations to investigate the influence of carnosine, a dipeptide naturally occurring in the brain, on Aβ aggregation. Scanning force microscopy, circular dichroism and thioflavin T fluorescence experiments showed that carnosine does not modify the conformational features of Aβ42 but nonetheless inhibits amyloid growth. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated that carnosine interacts transiently with monomeric Aβ42 by salt bridges with charged side chains, and van der Waals contacts with residues in and around the central hydrophobic cluster ((17)LVFFA(21)). NMR experiments on the nonaggregative fragment Aβ12-28 did not evidence specific intermolecular interactions between the peptide and carnosine, in agreement with MD simulations. However, a close inspection of the spectra revealed that carnosine interferes with the local propensity of the peptide to form backbone hydrogen bonds close to the central hydrophobic cluster (residues E22, S26 and N27). Finally, MD simulations of aggregation-prone Aβ heptapeptide segments show that carnosine reduces the propensity to form intermolecular backbone hydrogen bonds in the region 18-24. Taken together, the experimental and simulation results (cumulative MD sampling of 0.2 ms) suggest that, despite the inability of carnosine to form stable contacts with Aβ, it might block the pathway toward toxic aggregates by perturbing the hydrogen bond network near residues with key roles in fibrillogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Attanasio
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini-UOS CT, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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Attanasio F, De Bona P, Cataldo S, Sciacca MFM, Milardi D, Pignataro B, Pappalardo G. Copper(ii) and zinc(ii) dependent effects on Aβ42 aggregation: a CD, Th-T and SFM study. NEW J CHEM 2013. [DOI: 10.1039/c3nj40999f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Arena G, Attanasio F, Zhang D, Yang Y, Bartsch RA, Sgarlata C. Selective sensing of Hg2+ by a proton-ionizable calix[4]arene fluoroionophore. Anal Bioanal Chem 2012; 405:1133-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-012-6378-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Di Natale G, Pappalardo G, Milardi D, Sciacca MFM, Attanasio F, La Mendola D, Rizzarelli E. Membrane Interactions and Conformational Preferences of Human and Avian Prion N-Terminal Tandem Repeats: The Role of Copper(II) Ions, pH, and Membrane Mimicking Environments. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:13830-8. [DOI: 10.1021/jp1033036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Di Natale
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pappalardo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Danilo Milardi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Michele F. M. Sciacca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Attanasio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Diego La Mendola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy, and Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini - Catania, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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Mazzaglia A, Micali N, Scolaro LM, Attanasio F, Magrí A, Pappalardo G, Villari V. Aggregation properties of the peptide fragments derived from the 17-29 region of the human and rat IAPP: a comparative study with two PEG-conjugated variants of the human sequence. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:705-13. [PMID: 20039665 DOI: 10.1021/jp908436s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The amyloidogenic amino acid sequence Ac-VHSSNNFGAILSS-NH(2), corresponding to the 17-29 peptide region of human amylin (hIAPP17-29), was modified by grafting a hydrophilic PEG chain in order to obtain a novel class of peptides to be used as models to study the aggregation process of the full-length IAPP. The amphiphilic feature of the pegylated peptide fragment at the N-terminus (PEG-N-hIAPP17-29) drives the aggregation process toward stable micellar clusters without fibrillogenesis, despite the presence of beta-sheet interaction between peptides at pH values higher than 4.0. The hIAPP17-29-C-PEG, in which the PEG moiety is linked to the C-terminus, does not possess analogous amphiphilic character and the ability of PEG in forming H-bonds with the solvent overcomes that of the peptide chain, thereby causing peptide flocculation. The comparison with the unmodified hIAPP17-29 and the rat's peptide sequence Ac-VRSSNNLGPGLPP-NH(2)(rIAPP17-29) revealed the crucial role of hydrogen bonding between peptide and solvent in determining the aggregate structure and preventing fibril formation, as well as the non-negligible effect of a small amount of organic solvent in the aqueous solution which affects the aggregation process and rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Mazzaglia
- CNR-Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, c/o Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica, Chimica Analitica e Chimica Fisica dell'Universitá di Messina, S.ta Sperone 31, I-98166, Messina, Italy
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Sciacca MFM, Pappalardo M, Attanasio F, Milardi D, La Rosa C, Grasso DM. Are fibrilgrowth and membrane damage linked processes? An experimental and computational study of IAPP12–18and IAPP21–27peptides. NEW J CHEM 2010. [DOI: 10.1039/b9nj00253g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Attanasio F, Cataldo S, Fisichella S, Nicoletti S, Nicoletti VG, Pignataro B, Savarino A, Rizzarelli E. Protective effects of L- and D-carnosine on alpha-crystallin amyloid fibril formation: implications for cataract disease. Biochemistry 2009; 48:6522-31. [PMID: 19441807 DOI: 10.1021/bi900343n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mildly denaturing conditions induce bovine alpha-crystallin, the major structural lens protein, to self-assemble into fibrillar structures in vitro. The natural dipeptide l-carnosine has been shown to have potential protective and therapeutic significance in many diseases. Carnosine derivatives have been proposed as potent agents for ophthalmic therapies of senile cataracts and diabetic ocular complications. Here we report the inhibitory effect induced by the peptide (l- and d-enantiomeric form) on alpha-crystallin fibrillation and the almost complete restoration of the chaperone activity lost after denaturant and/or heat stress. Scanning force microscopy (SFM), thioflavin T, and a turbidimetry assay have been used to determine the morphology of alpha-crystallin aggregates in the presence and absence of carnosine. DSC and a near-UV CD assay evidenced that the structural precursors of amyloid fibrils are polypeptide chain segments that lack stable structural elements. Moreover, we have found a disassembling effect of carnosine on alpha-crystallin amyloid fibrils. Finally, we show the ability of carnosine to restore most of the lens transparency in organ-cultured rat lenses exposed to similar denaturing conditions that were used for the in vitro experiments.
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De Bona P, Laura Giuffrida M, Caraci F, Copani A, Pignataro B, Attanasio F, Cataldo S, Pappalardo G, Rizzarelli E. Design and synthesis of new trehalose-conjugated pentapeptides as inhibitors of Aβ(1-42) fibrillogenesis and toxicity. J Pept Sci 2009; 15:220-8. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.1109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Pappalardo G, Milardi D, Magrì A, Attanasio F, Impellizzeri G, La Rosa C, Grasso D, Rizzarelli E. Environmental factors differently affect human and rat IAPP: conformational preferences and membrane interactions of IAPP17-29 peptide derivatives. Chemistry 2008; 13:10204-15. [PMID: 17902185 DOI: 10.1002/chem.200700576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Interest in the 37-residue human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is related to its ability to form amyloid deposits in patients affected by type II diabetes. Attempts to unravel the molecular features of this disease have indicated several regions of this polypeptide to be responsible for either the ability to form insoluble fibrils or the abnormal interaction with membranes. To extend these studies to peptides that enclose His18, whose ionization state is believed to play a key role in the aggregation of hIAPP, we report on the synthesis of two peptides, hIAPP17-29 and rIAPP17-29, encompassing the 17-29 sequences of human and rat IAPP, respectively, as well as on their conformational features in water and in several membrane-mimicking environments as revealed by circular dichroism (CD) and 2D-NMR studies. hIAPP17-29 adopts a beta-sheet structure in water and its solubility increases at low pH. Anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles promoted the formation of an alpha-helical structure in the peptide chain, which was poorly influenced by pH variations. rIAPP17-29 was soluble and unstructured in all the environments investigated, with a negligible effect of pH. The membrane interactions of hIAPP17-29 and rIAPP17-29 were assessed by recording differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements aimed at elucidating the peptide-induced changes in the thermotropic behaviour of zwitterionic (DPPC) and negatively charged (DPPC/DPPS 3:1) model membranes (DPPC=1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DPPS=1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine). Results of DSC experiments demonstrated the high potential of hIAPP17-29 to interact with DPPC membranes. hIAPP17-29 exhibited a negligible affinity for negatively charged DPPC/DPPS model membranes at neutral pH. On the other hand, rIAPP17-29 did not interact with neutral or negatively charged membranes. The role played by His18 in the modulation of the biophysical properties of this hIAPP region was assessed by synthesising and studying the R18HrIAPP17-29 peptide; the replacement of a single Arg with a His residue is not sufficient to induce either amyloidogenic propensity or membrane interaction in this region. The results show that the 17-29 domain of hIAPP has many properties of the full-length protein "in vitro" and this opens up new perspectives for both research and eventually therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Pappalardo
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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