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Cattaneo GM, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Molteni R, Ronchetti F, Gabrieli P, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Otranto D, Montomoli E, Bandi C, Epis S. A novel chemically defined medium for the biotechnological and biomedical exploitation of the cell factory Leishmania tarentolae. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9562. [PMID: 38671070 PMCID: PMC11053126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60383-1] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of media for cell culture is a major issue in the biopharmaceutical industry, for the production of therapeutics, immune-modulating molecules and protein antigens. Chemically defined media offer several advantages, as they are free of animal-derived components and guarantee high purity and a consistency in their composition. Microorganisms of the genus Leishmania represent a promising cellular platform for production of recombinant proteins, but their maintenance requires supplements of animal origin, such as hemin and fetal bovine serum. In the present study, three chemically defined media were assayed for culturing Leishmania tarentolae, using both a wild-type strain and a strain engineered to produce a viral antigen. Among the three media, Schneider's Drosophila Medium supplemented with Horseradish Peroxidase proved to be effective for the maintenance of L. tarentolae promastigotes, also allowing the heterologous protein production by the engineered strain. Finally, the engineered strain was maintained in culture up to the 12th week without antibiotic, revealing its capability to produce the recombinant protein in the absence of selective pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilaria Varotto-Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric CRC 'Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Molteni
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric CRC 'Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Republic of China
| | - Emanuele Montomoli
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy
- VisMederi, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric CRC 'Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy.
- Pediatric CRC 'Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', University of Milan, 20157, Milan, Italy.
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2
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Gualerzi A, Picciolini S, Bedoni M, Guerini FR, Clerici M, Agliardi C. Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease: How Far from Clinical Translation? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1136. [PMID: 38256215 PMCID: PMC10816807 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021136] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 10 million people worldwide with a prevalence of about 2% in the over-80 population. The disease brings in also a huge annual economic burden, recently estimated by the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to be USD 52 billion in the United States alone. Currently, no effective cure exists, but available PD medical treatments are based on symptomatic prescriptions that include drugs, surgical approaches and rehabilitation treatment. Due to the complex biology of a PD brain, the design of clinical trials and the personalization of treatment strategies require the identification of accessible and measurable biomarkers to monitor the events induced by treatment and disease progression and to predict patients' responsiveness. In the present review, we strive to briefly summarize current knowledge about PD biomarkers, focusing on the role of extracellular vesicles as active or involuntary carriers of disease-associated proteins, with particular attention to those research works that envision possible clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Gualerzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Marzia Bedoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Franca Rosa Guerini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Agliardi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, 20148 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (S.P.); (M.C.); (C.A.)
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3
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Limanaqi F, Zecchini S, Saulle I, Strizzi S, Vanetti C, Garziano M, Cappelletti G, Parolin D, Caccia S, Trabattoni D, Fenizia C, Clerici M, Biasin M. Alpha-synuclein dynamics bridge Type-I Interferon response and SARS-CoV-2 replication in peripheral cells. Biol Res 2024; 57:2. [PMID: 38191441 PMCID: PMC10775536 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00482-x] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests a double-faceted role of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) following infection by a variety of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Although α-syn accumulation is known to contribute to cell toxicity and the development and/or exacerbation of neuropathological manifestations, it is also a key to sustaining anti-viral innate immunity. Consistently with α-syn aggregation as a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, most studies investigating the biological function of α-syn focused on neural cells, while reports on the role of α-syn in periphery are limited, especially in SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS Results herein obtained by real time qPCR, immunofluorescence and western blot indicate that α-syn upregulation in peripheral cells occurs as a Type-I Interferon (IFN)-related response against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Noteworthy, this effect mostly involves α-syn multimers, and the dynamic α-syn multimer:monomer ratio. Administration of excess α-syn monomers promoted SARS-CoV-2 replication along with downregulation of IFN-Stimulated Genes (ISGs) in epithelial lung cells, which was associated with reduced α-syn multimers and α-syn multimer:monomer ratio. These effects were prevented by combined administration of IFN-β, which hindered virus replication and upregulated ISGs, meanwhile increasing both α-syn multimers and α-syn multimer:monomer ratio in the absence of cell toxicity. Finally, in endothelial cells displaying abortive SARS-CoV-2 replication, α-syn multimers, and multimer:monomer ratio were not reduced following exposure to the virus and exogenous α-syn, suggesting that only productive viral infection impairs α-syn multimerization and multimer:monomer equilibrium. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides novel insights into the biology of α-syn, showing that its dynamic conformations are implicated in the innate immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection in peripheral cells. In particular, our results suggest that promotion of non-toxic α-syn multimers likely occurs as a Type-I IFN-related biological response which partakes in the suppression of viral replication. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in neuronal cells as well as animal models, and to ascertain the nature of such α-syn conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Limanaqi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy.
| | - Silvia Zecchini
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Irma Saulle
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, Milan, Italy
| | - Sergio Strizzi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Vanetti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Micaela Garziano
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, Milan, Italy
| | - Gioia Cappelletti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Debora Parolin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Sonia Caccia
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Daria Trabattoni
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Fenizia
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 20148, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Biasin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, Milan, Italy.
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Mancuso R, Citterio LA, Agostini S, Marventano I, La Rosa F, Re F, Seneci P, Saresella M, Clerici M. Glibenclamide-Loaded Nanoparticles Reduce NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Modulate miR-223-3p/miR-7-1-5p Expression in THP-1 Cells. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1590. [PMID: 38004455 PMCID: PMC10675475 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111590] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The anti-hyperglycemic drug glibenclamide (Glb) might represent an interesting therapeutic option in human neurodegenerative diseases because of its anti-inflammatory activity and its ability to downregulate activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Bi-functionalized liposomes that can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may be used to release Glb into the central nervous system (CNS), overcoming its poor solubility and bioavailability. Here, we analyzed in vitro the effect of Glb-loaded nanovectors (GNVs) and Glb itself on NLRP3 inflammasome activation using a lipopolysaccharide- and nigericine-activated THP-1 cell model. Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) aggregation and NLRP3-related cytokine (IL-1β, caspase 1, and IL-18) production and gene expression, as well as the concentration of miR-223-3p and miR-7-1-5p, known to modulate the NLRP3 inflammasome, were evaluated in all conditions. Results showed that both GNVs and Glb reduced significantly ASC-speck oligomerization, transcription and translation of NLRP3, as well as the secretion of caspase 1 and IL-1β (p < 0.05 for all). Unexpectedly, GNVs/Glb significantly suppressed miR-223-3p and upregulated miR-7-1-5p expression (p < 0.01). These preliminary results thus suggest that GNVs, similarly to Glb, are able to dampen NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammatory cytokine release, and modulate miR-223-3p/miR-7-1-5p. Although the mechanisms underlying the complex relation among these elements remain to be further investigated, these results can open new roads to the use of GNVs as a novel strategy to reduce inflammasome activation in disease and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Mancuso
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Lorenzo Agostino Citterio
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Simone Agostini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Ivana Marventano
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Francesca La Rosa
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Francesca Re
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20854 Milan, Italy;
| | | | - Marina Saresella
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi—ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (R.M.); (L.A.C.); (I.M.); (F.L.R.); (M.S.); (M.C.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Guerini FR, Agliardi C, Oreni L, Groppo E, Bolognesi E, Zanzottera M, Caputo D, Rovaris M, Clerici M. Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphism Predicts the Outcome of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13379. [PMID: 37686183 PMCID: PMC10487750 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713379] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Better knowledge about the possible role of genetic factors in modulating the response to multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, including rehabilitation, known to promote neural plasticity, could improve the standard of care for this disease. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms are associated with MS risk, probably because of the role played by vitamin D in regulating inflammatory and reparative processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of the most important functional VDR SNPs (TaqI (T/C), ApaI (A/C), and FokI (C/T)) with functional outcome in MS patients undergoing multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation (MDR) treatment, in order to determine whether genetic profiling might be useful to identify subjects with a higher chance of recovery. To this end, 249 MS inpatients with a diagnosis of either progressive (pMS; n = 155) or relapsing remitting (RRMS; n = 94) disease who underwent MDR treatment (average duration = 5.1 weeks) were genotyped for VDR SNPs by real-time allelic discrimination. The rehabilitation outcome was assessed using the modified Barthel Index (mBI), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and pain numerical rating scores (NRS) at the beginning and the end of MDR treatment. A positive correlation was observed in RRMS patients between the VDR TaqI major allele (TT) and mBI increase (i.e., better functional recovery), as assessed by the linear and logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender, age, disease duration, time of hospitalization, HLA-DRB1*15.01 positivity, and number of rehabilitative interventions (Beta = 6.35; p = 0.0002). The VDR-1 TaqI, ApaI, FokI: TCC haplotype was also associated with mBI increase in RRMS patients (Beta = 3.24; p = 0.007), whereas the VDR-2: CAC haplotype was correlated with a lower mBI increase (Beta = -2.18 p = 0.04) compared with the other haplotypes. VDR TaqI major allele (TT), as well as the VDR-1 TaqI, ApaI, FokI: TCC haplotype could be associated with a better rehabilitation outcome in RRMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franca Rosa Guerini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Cristina Agliardi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Letizia Oreni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Elisabetta Groppo
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
- Ospedale San Paolo, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Clinical Neurology Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bolognesi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Milena Zanzottera
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Domenico Caputo
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Marco Rovaris
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; (F.R.G.); (L.O.); (E.G.); (E.B.); (M.Z.); (D.C.); (M.R.); (M.C.)
- Pathophysiology and Transplantation Department, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
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6
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Shayegh S, Andreu-Perez J, Akoth C, Bosch-Capblanch X, Dasgupta S, Falchetta G, Gregson S, Hammad AT, Herringer M, Kapkea F, Labella A, Lisciotto L, Martínez L, Macharia PM, Morales-Ruiz P, Murage N, Offeddu V, South A, Torbica A, Trentini F, Melegaro A. Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccine allocation in resource poor settings: Towards an Artificial Intelligence-enabled and Geospatial-assisted decision support framework. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0275037. [PMID: 37561732 PMCID: PMC10414619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275037] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To propose a novel framework for COVID-19 vaccine allocation based on three components of Vulnerability, Vaccination, and Values (3Vs). METHODS A combination of geospatial data analysis and artificial intelligence methods for evaluating vulnerability factors at the local level and allocate vaccines according to a dynamic mechanism for updating vulnerability and vaccine uptake. RESULTS A novel approach is introduced including (I) Vulnerability data collection (including country-specific data on demographic, socioeconomic, epidemiological, healthcare, and environmental factors), (II) Vaccination prioritization through estimation of a unique Vulnerability Index composed of a range of factors selected and weighed through an Artificial Intelligence (AI-enabled) expert elicitation survey and scientific literature screening, and (III) Values consideration by identification of the most effective GIS-assisted allocation of vaccines at the local level, considering context-specific constraints and objectives. CONCLUSIONS We showcase the performance of the 3Vs strategy by comparing it to the actual vaccination rollout in Kenya. We show that under the current strategy, socially vulnerable individuals comprise only 45% of all vaccinated people in Kenya while if the 3Vs strategy was implemented, this group would be the first to receive vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheil Shayegh
- RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment, Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Milan, Italy
| | - Javier Andreu-Perez
- Centre for Computational Intelligence, School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
- Group Simbad, Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | | | - Xavier Bosch-Capblanch
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shouro Dasgupta
- Fondazione CMCC, Lecce, Italy
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Giacomo Falchetta
- RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment, Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Milan, Italy
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Gregson
- Imperial College School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Ahmed T. Hammad
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Decatab Pte. Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mark Herringer
- The Global Healthsites Mapping Project—Healthsites.io, Hoorn, Netherlands
- Mapping the Risk of International Infectious Disease Spread—mriids.org, Brookline, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Alvaro Labella
- Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Luca Lisciotto
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
- DNV—Energy Systems, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luis Martínez
- Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Peter M. Macharia
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics, Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
- Population & Health Impact Surveillance GroupUnit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paulina Morales-Ruiz
- Faculty of Economics and Business, Access-to-Medicines Research Centre, Research Center for Operations Management, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Vittoria Offeddu
- Covid Crisis Lab, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Andy South
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Aleksandra Torbica
- Cergas—Centre for Research on Health and Social Csare Management, SDA Bocconi School of Management, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social and Political Science, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Trentini
- Covid Crisis Lab, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Center for Health Emergencies, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Povo, Italy
| | - Alessia Melegaro
- Covid Crisis Lab, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social and Political Science, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
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7
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Varotto-Boccazzi I, Epis S, Cattaneo GM, Guerrini N, Manenti A, Rubolini D, Gabrieli P, Otranto D, Zuccotti G, Montomoli E, Bandi C. Rectal Administration of Leishmania Cells Elicits a Specific, Th1-Associated IgG2a Response in Mice: New Perspectives for Mucosal Vaccination against Leishmaniasis, after the Repurposing of a Study on an Anti-Viral Vaccine Candidate. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:406. [PMID: 37624344 PMCID: PMC10458511 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8080406] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The mucosal immune system plays a pivotal role in the control of infections, as it represents the first line of defense against most pathogens, from respiratory viruses to intestinal parasites. Mucosal vaccination is thus regarded as a promising strategy to protect animals, including humans, from infections that are acquired by ingestion, inhalation or through the urogenital system. In addition, antigens delivered at the mucosal level can also elicit systemic immune responses. Therefore, mucosal vaccination is potentially effective also against systemic infections acquired through non-mucosal routes, for example, through the bite of hematophagous insects, as in the case of leishmaniasis, a widespread disease that affects humans and dogs. Here, we explored the potential of antigen rectal administration for the generation of anti-Leishmania immunity. Mice were immunized through rectal administration of whole cells of the model parasite Leishmania tarentolae (using a clone engineered to express the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus generated in a previous study). A specific anti-Leishmania IgG antibody response was detected. In addition, the recorded IgG2a/IgG1 ratio was higher than that of animals injected subcutaneously; therefore, suggesting a shift to a Th1-biased immune response. Considering the importance of a Th1 polarization as a protective response against Leishmania infections, we suggest that further investigation should be focused on the development of novel types of vaccines against these parasites based on rectal immunization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Varotto-Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.V.-B.); (G.M.C.); (P.G.)
- Pediatric CRC ‘Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi’, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.V.-B.); (G.M.C.); (P.G.)
- Pediatric CRC ‘Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi’, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giulia Maria Cattaneo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.V.-B.); (G.M.C.); (P.G.)
| | - Noemi Guerrini
- VisMederi, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.G.); (A.M.); (E.M.)
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy;
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council of Italy, IRSA-CNR, 20861 Brugherio, Italy
| | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.V.-B.); (G.M.C.); (P.G.)
- Pediatric CRC ‘Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi’, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010 Valenzano, Italy;
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 65175/4161, Iran
| | - Gianvincenzo Zuccotti
- Pediatric CRC ‘Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi’, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Montomoli
- VisMederi, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.G.); (A.M.); (E.M.)
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (I.V.-B.); (G.M.C.); (P.G.)
- Pediatric CRC ‘Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi’, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
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8
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Trentini F, Ciani O, Vanni E, Ghislandi S, Torbica A, Azzolini E, Melegaro A. A repeated cross-sectional analysis on the economic impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the hospital level in Italy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12386. [PMID: 37524912 PMCID: PMC10390582 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39592-7] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Italy was the first country in Europe to be hit by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Little research has been conducted to understand the economic impact of providing care for SARS-CoV-2 patients during the pandemic. Our study aims to quantify the incremental healthcare costs for hospitalizations associated to being discharged before or after the first SARS-CoV-2 case was notified in Italy, and to a positive or negative SARS-CoV-2 notified infection. We used data on hospitalizations for 9 different diagnosis related groups at a large Italian Research Hospital with discharge date between 1st January, 2018 and 31st December 2021. The median overall costs for a hospitalization increased from 2410EUR (IQR: 1588-3828) before the start of the pandemic, to 2645EUR (IQR: 1885-4028) and 3834EUR (IQR: 2463-6413) during the pandemic, respectively for patients SARS-CoV-2 negative and positive patients. Interestingly, according to results of a generalized linear model, the highest increases in the average costs sustained for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients with respect to patients discharged before the pandemic was found among those with diagnoses unrelated to COVID-19, i.e. kidney and urinary tract infections with CC (59.71%), intracranial hemorrhage or cerebral infarction (53.33), and pulmonary edema and respiratory failure (47.47%). Our study highlights the economic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic on the hospital system in Italy based on individual patient data. These results contribute to the to the debate around the efficiency of the healthcare services provision during a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Trentini
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, 1 Roentgen St., Milan, Italy.
- Covid Crisis Lab, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy.
- Center for Health Emergencies, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy.
| | - Oriana Ciani
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Vanni
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Ghislandi
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Aleksandra Torbica
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Azzolini
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Melegaro
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, 1 Roentgen St., Milan, Italy
- Covid Crisis Lab, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
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9
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Citterio LA, Mancuso R, Agostini S, Meloni M, Clerici M. Serum and Exosomal miR-7-1-5p and miR-223-3p as Possible Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050865. [PMID: 37238734 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050865] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is poorly understood, and is strongly suspected to include both genetic and environmental factors. In this context, it is essential to investigate possible biomarkers for both prognostic and diagnostic purposes. Several studies reported dysregulated microRNA expression in neurodegenerative disorders, including PD. Using ddPCR, we investigated the concentrations of miR-7-1-5p, miR-499-3p, miR-223-3p and miR-223-5p-miRNAs involved in the α-synuclein pathway and in inflammation-in the serum and serum-isolated exosomes of 45 PD patients and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). While miR-499-3p and miR-223-5p showed no differences (1), serum concentration of miR-7-1-5p was significantly increased (p = 0.0007 vs. HC) and (2) miR-223-3p serum (p = 0.0006) and exosome (p = 0.0002) concentrations were significantly increased. ROC curve analysis showed that miR-223-3p and miR-7-1-5p serum concentration discriminates between PD and HC (p = 0.0001, in both cases). Notably, in PD patients, both miR-223-3p serum (p = 0.0008) and exosome (p = 0.006) concentrations correlated with levodopa equivalent daily dosage (LEDD). Finally, serum α-synuclein was increased in PD patients compared to HC (p = 0.025), and in patients correlated with serum miR-7-1-5p in (p = 0.05). Our results suggest that both miR-7-1-5p and miR-223-3p, distinguishing PD from HC, have the potential to be useful and non-invasive biomarkers in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberta Mancuso
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Agostini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Meloni
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20100 Milan, Italy
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10
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Bocci T, Bertini A, Campiglio L, Botta S, Libelli G, Guidetti M, Priori A. Not myopathic, but autonomic changes in patients with long-COVID syndrome: a case series. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:1147-1153. [PMID: 36735149 PMCID: PMC9896447 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-06637-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurological sequelae following SARS-CoV-2 infection still represent a serious concern both for neurologists and neuroscientists. In our paper, we investigated pain, myalgia, and fatigue as symptoms in long-COVID patients with an electrophysiological approach, comprising the evaluation of sympathetic skin responses (SSRs) and quantitative electromyography (qEMG). MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve patients were enrolled (mean age, 47.7 ± 11.6 years), referred to our attention because of myalgia, pain, or muscle cramps, which persisted about 6 months after the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. They underwent conventional electroneurography (ENG), needle electromyography (EMG), and SSRs; moreover, qEMG was performed by sampling at least 20 motor unit potentials (20-30 MUPs) during weak voluntary contraction in deltoid and tibialis anterior muscles. The mean duration, amplitude, and percentage of polyphasic potentials were assessed and compared with healthy and age-matched volunteers. RESULTS ENG did not disclose significant changes compared to healthy subjects; needle EMG did not reveal denervation activity. In addition, qEMG showed MUPs similar to those recorded in healthy volunteers in terms of polyphasia (deltoid: p = 0.24; TA: p = 0.35), MUP area (deltoid: p = 0.45; TA: p = 0.44), mean duration (deltoid: p = 0.06; TA: p = 0.45), and amplitude (deltoid: p = 0.27; TA: p = 0.63). SSRs were not recordable from lower limbs in seven patients (58%) and from the upper ones in three of them (25%). CONCLUSION Our data suggest an involvement of the autonomic system, with a focus on cholinergic efferent sympathetic activity, without any evidence of myopathic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Bocci
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20100, Milano, Italy.
- Clinical Neurology Unit, "Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo E Carlo" and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio Di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Bertini
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
- Clinical Neurology Unit, "Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo E Carlo" and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio Di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Campiglio
- Clinical Neurology Unit, "Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo E Carlo" and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio Di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Botta
- Clinical Neurology Unit, "Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo E Carlo" and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio Di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Libelli
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neurology Unit, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Matteo Guidetti
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Priori
- ''Aldo Ravelli'' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
- Clinical Neurology Unit, "Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo E Carlo" and Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Via Antonio Di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
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11
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Marangon D, Caporale N, Boccazzi M, Abbracchio MP, Testa G, Lecca D. Novel in vitro Experimental Approaches to Study Myelination and Remyelination in the Central Nervous System. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:748849. [PMID: 34720882 PMCID: PMC8551863 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.748849] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelin is the lipidic insulating structure enwrapping axons and allowing fast saltatory nerve conduction. In the central nervous system, myelin sheath is the result of the complex packaging of multilamellar extensions of oligodendrocyte (OL) membranes. Before reaching myelinating capabilities, OLs undergo a very precise program of differentiation and maturation that starts from OL precursor cells (OPCs). In the last 20 years, the biology of OPCs and their behavior under pathological conditions have been studied through several experimental models. When co-cultured with neurons, OPCs undergo terminal maturation and produce myelin tracts around axons, allowing to investigate myelination in response to exogenous stimuli in a very simple in vitro system. On the other hand, in vivo models more closely reproducing some of the features of human pathophysiology enabled to assess the consequences of demyelination and the molecular mechanisms of remyelination, and they are often used to validate the effect of pharmacological agents. However, they are very complex, and not suitable for large scale drug discovery screening. Recent advances in cell reprogramming, biophysics and bioengineering have allowed impressive improvements in the methodological approaches to study brain physiology and myelination. Rat and mouse OPCs can be replaced by human OPCs obtained by induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from healthy or diseased individuals, thus offering unprecedented possibilities for personalized disease modeling and treatment. OPCs and neural cells can be also artificially assembled, using 3D-printed culture chambers and biomaterial scaffolds, which allow modeling cell-to-cell interactions in a highly controlled manner. Interestingly, scaffold stiffness can be adopted to reproduce the mechanosensory properties assumed by tissues in physiological or pathological conditions. Moreover, the recent development of iPSC-derived 3D brain cultures, called organoids, has made it possible to study key aspects of embryonic brain development, such as neuronal differentiation, maturation and network formation in temporal dynamics that are inaccessible to traditional in vitro cultures. Despite the huge potential of organoids, their application to myelination studies is still in its infancy. In this review, we shall summarize the novel most relevant experimental approaches and their implications for the identification of remyelinating agents for human diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Marangon
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicolò Caporale
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Boccazzi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria P. Abbracchio
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Lecca
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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12
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Scagliola A, Miluzio A, Ventura G, Oliveto S, Cordiglieri C, Manfrini N, Cirino D, Ricciardi S, Valenti L, Baselli G, D'Ambrosio R, Maggioni M, Brina D, Bresciani A, Biffo S. Targeting of eIF6-driven translation induces a metabolic rewiring that reduces NAFLD and the consequent evolution to hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4878. [PMID: 34385447 PMCID: PMC8361022 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25195-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A postprandial increase of translation mediated by eukaryotic Initiation Factor 6 (eIF6) occurs in the liver. Its contribution to steatosis and disease is unknown. In this study we address whether eIF6-driven translation contributes to disease progression. eIF6 levels increase throughout the progression from Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) to hepatocellular carcinoma. Reduction of eIF6 levels protects the liver from disease progression. eIF6 depletion blunts lipid accumulation, increases fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and reduces oncogenic transformation in vitro. In addition, eIF6 depletion delays the progression from NAFLD to hepatocellular carcinoma, in vivo. Mechanistically, eIF6 depletion reduces the translation of transcription factor C/EBPβ, leading to a drop in biomarkers associated with NAFLD progression to hepatocellular carcinoma and preserves mitochondrial respiration due to the maintenance of an alternative mTORC1-eIF4F translational branch that increases the expression of transcription factor YY1. We provide proof-of-concept that in vitro pharmacological inhibition of eIF6 activity recapitulates the protective effects of eIF6 depletion. We hypothesize the existence of a targetable, evolutionarily conserved translation circuit optimized for lipid accumulation and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Scagliola
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Annarita Miluzio
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Oliveto
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cordiglieri
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Manfrini
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Delia Cirino
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Ricciardi
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Translational Medicine, Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Baselli
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta D'Ambrosio
- Department of Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Granda Ospedale Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Maggioni
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Brina
- Institute of Oncology Research, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Alberto Bresciani
- Department of Translational and Discovery Research, IRBM S.p.A., Pomezia (Roma), Italy
| | - Stefano Biffo
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare, INGM, "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy.
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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Arciuolo R, Camardo Leggieri M, Chiusa G, Castello G, Genova G, Spigolon N, Battilani P. Ecology of Diaporthe eres, the causal agent of hazelnut defects. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247563. [PMID: 33690684 PMCID: PMC7946276 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diaporthe eres has been recently reported as the causal agent of hazelnut defects, with characteristic brown spots on the kernels surface and internal fruit discoloration. Knowledge regarding the ecology of this fungus is poor but, is critical to support a rationale and effective hazelnut crop protection strategy. Therefore, a study was performed to describe and model the effect of different abiotic factors such as temperature (T, 5-35°C, step 5°C) and water activity (aw 0.83-0.99, step 0.03) regimes on D. eres mycelial growth, pycnidial conidiomata development and asexual spore production during a 60-day incubation period. Alpha conidia germination was tested in the same T range and at different relative humidities (RH = 94, 97 and 100%) over 48 h incubation period. Fungal growth was observed from the first visual observation; regarding pycnidia and cirrhi, their development started after 8 and 19 days of incubation, respectively and increased over time. The optimum T for growth was 20-25°C and for pycnidia and cirrhi development was 30°C; aw ≥ 0.98 was optimal for the tested steps of the fungal cycle. The best condition for conidial germination of D. eres was at 25°C with RH = 100%. Quantitative data obtained were fitted using non- linear regression functions (Bete, logistic and polynomial), which provided a very good fit of the biological process (R2 = 0.793-0.987). These functions could be the basis for the development of a predictive model for the infection of D. eres of hazelnuts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Arciuolo
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
| | - Marco Camardo Leggieri
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
| | - Giorgio Chiusa
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castello
- SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Piazzale Pietro Ferrero 1, Alba (CN), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Genova
- SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Piazzale Pietro Ferrero 1, Alba (CN), Italy
| | - Nicola Spigolon
- SOREMARTEC ITALIA S.r.l., Piazzale Pietro Ferrero 1, Alba (CN), Italy
| | - Paola Battilani
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
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