Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valentina Oliveri
Summary: Due to the increasing prevalence of amyloid diseases, the impact of transition metals, particularly copper ions, on protein aggregation has become a global concern. Copper ions, while playing vital roles in organisms, can disrupt homeostasis and contribute to the development of amyloid diseases by causing toxic protein aggregates, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired cellular signaling, inflammation, and cell death. Understanding the imbalance of copper ions and its effects on protein folding and aggregation is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
Review
Neurosciences
Nasim Bahram Sangani, Ana Rita Gomes, Leopold M. G. Curfs, Chris P. Reutelingsperger
Summary: Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are membrane particles secreted by cells, carrying various biomolecules to facilitate communication between neural cells. They play a crucial role in CNS development by stimulating neural cell proliferation, differentiation, and mediating interactions between neurons and oligodendrocytes during myelination. Understanding the presence and contribution of EVs in CNS developmental milestones is essential for research in this area.
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Gianluigi Forloni, Pietro La Vitola, Claudia Balducci
Summary: Oligomers play a central role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammation also plays an important role in this process. This review summarizes the studies on β-amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers and discusses the potential therapeutic role of the broad-spectrum antibiotic doxycycline.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fodil Azzaz, Henri Chahinian, Nouara Yahi, Jacques Fantini, Coralie Di Scala
Summary: Various data indicate that Ca2+-permeable amyloid pores are the most neurotoxic species of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid peptide (A beta(1-42)). As clinical trials targeting amyloid plaques by immunotherapy have failed, there is growing consensus to change the paradigm, strategy, and target for curing Alzheimer's disease. In this study, a therapeutic peptide called AmyP53 was developed to prevent amyloid pore formation by interacting with gangliosides in lipid rafts. Through a combination of cellular, physicochemical, and in silico approaches, the mechanism of action of AmyP53 at the atomic, molecular, and cellular levels was unraveled. It was found that AmyP53 outcompetes A beta(1-42) in binding to lipid rafts and prevents amyloid pore formation and cellular Ca2+ entry. These findings provide insights into the molecular details of AmyP53 action and offer potential therapeutic opportunities for lipid raft and ganglioside-associated diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Navneet Ammal Kaidery, Manuj Ahuja, Sudarshana M. Sharma, Bobby Thomas
Summary: Advancements in healthcare and increased lifespan have improved quality of life but also led to an increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic processes can impact pathways related to NDs, with miRNAs being critical for normal neuron functioning. Future research may focus on developing miRNAs as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation in NDs.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Miranda D. Horn, Andrew G. MacLean
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are used by cells for intercellular communication, transferring important molecules including viruses. Research shows that EVs can encapsulate viruses, leading to issues like antibody neutralization and neurodegeneration.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ji Hye Yang, Cong Duc Nguyen, Gihyun Lee, Chang-Su Na
Summary: Iron plays a crucial role in the central nervous system, being involved in important biological processes such as oxygen transportation, myelin production, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Excess accumulation of iron has been associated with accelerated cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. Studies suggest that ferroptosis, cell death due to iron accumulation, could be a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, Insamgobonhwan (GBH), a traditional medicine, has antioxidant properties and may protect against lipid peroxidation-induced ferroptosis.
Article
Neurosciences
James F. Striebel, Brent Race, Jacqueline M. Leung, Cindi Schwartz, Bruce Chesebro
Summary: Accumulation of misfolded host proteins, like PrPSc, in the retina during prion infection leads to early damage to the inner segments of photoreceptor cells and eventual death. Neurons in the outer plexiform layer are selectively targeted by prion deposition, with loss of ribbon synapses preceding widespread destruction of rods and cones.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gianluigi Forloni
Summary: Recent studies on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) have shown that the oligomer species of misfolded proteins, beta-amyloid (A beta) and alpha-synuclein (alpha-Syn), play a crucial role in the pathogenesis. The approval of lecanemab as a disease-modifying drug for AD, which has a high affinity for A beta protofibrils and oligomers, and the discovery of A beta-oligomers as early biomarkers for cognitive decline in blood samples, highlight the potential therapeutic and diagnostic significance of targeting oligomers in AD. Furthermore, the identification of alpha-Syn oligomers in PD subjects, their distinct distribution from Lewy body pathologies, and their association with cognitive impairment suggest their neurotoxic role and potential as a target for drug treatment in PD.
Review
Neurosciences
Brittany S. Ulm, David R. Borchelt, Brenda D. Moore
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by extracellular amyloid beta deposits and intracellular tau aggregates. Transgenic murine models have been developed to replicate aspects of AD pathology. Recent advances in seeding methods have provided ways to alter the morphology of amyloid deposits and the age at which pathology develops.
MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Eleni Markoutsa, Karthick Mayilsamy, Dannielle Gulick, Shyam S. Mohapatra, Subhra Mohapatra
Summary: Inflammation plays a crucial role in age-related diseases, and the release of miRNAs from primed stem cells can inhibit neuro-inflammation.
Article
Immunology
Amanda M. Leisgang Osse, Ravi S. Pandey, Ryan A. Wirt, Andrew A. Ortiz, Arnold Salazar, Michael Kimmich, Erin N. Toledano Strom, Adrian Oblak, Bruce Lamb, James M. Hyman, Gregory W. Carter, Jefferson Kinney
Summary: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by beta-amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Previous studies have shown a decrease in GABAB receptor (GABABR) in AD mouse models. By developing a mouse model with reduced GABABR restricted to macrophages, significant increases in beta-amyloid pathology were observed when crossed with existing AD models. This suggests a novel mechanism in the pathogenesis of AD.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Francheska Delgado-Peraza, Carlos J. Nogueras-Ortiz, Olga Volpert, Dong Liu, Edward J. Goetzl, Mark P. Mattson, Nigel H. Greig, Erez Eitan, Dimitrios Kapogiannis
Summary: The study found that biomarkers in circulating NEVs and AEVs reflect their brain levels across multiple AD mouse models, supporting their potential use as a liquid biopsy for neurological disorders. This demonstrates a potential for utilizing EV proteins as AD biomarkers and emphasizes the importance of further research in this area.
Article
Neurosciences
Ceren Emre, Khanh Do, Bokkyoo Jun, Erik Hjorth, Silvia Gomez Alcalde, Marie-Audrey Kautzmann, William C. Gordon, Per Nilsson, Nicolas G. Bazan, Marianne Schultzberg
Summary: This study investigated lipid and cytokine profiles, glial activation, and inflammatory proteins in an APP knock-in AD mouse model. It found age-specific changes in the brain lipidome, with increased pro-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators only in older age groups despite early Aβ pathology. Additionally, alterations in phospholipids signaled early pathological changes in membrane composition.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Medical Laboratory Technology
Diana Navas-Carrillo, Jose Miguel Rivera-Caravaca, Arturo Sampedro-Andrada, Esteban Orenes-Pinero
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disease that affects memory, orientation, speech, and other functions. The pathogenesis involves extracellular amyloid deposits and fibrillary protein deposits inside neurons. Discovering novel biomarkers is crucial for monitoring disease progression and treatment.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ramona Vinci, Daniela Pedicino, Alice Bonanni, Alessia d'Aiello, Eugenia Pisano, Myriana Ponzo, Anna Severino, Pellegrino Ciampi, Francesco Canonico, Giulio Russo, Marianna Di Sario, Rocco Vergallo, Simone Filomia, Rocco Antonio Montone, Davide Flego, Lucia Stefanini, Roberto Piacentini, Cristina Conte, Francesco Cribari, Massimo Massetti, Filippo Crea, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: This study evaluated the involvement of CD31 molecule in the thrombotic risk of patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The results showed reduced expression of CD31 on monocytes and increased expression on platelets in NSTEMI patients, especially those with ruptured fibrous cap (RFC) plaques and high thrombus grade (TG). Ex vivo experiments also demonstrated the participation of CD31 in monocyte-platelet aggregate formation in NSTEMI patients.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Anna Poleggi, Simone Baiardi, Anna Ladogana, Piero Parchi
Summary: Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that are difficult to diagnose. The ultrasensitive RT-QuIC assay has greatly improved the diagnostic process with its high sensitivity and specificity. It also holds great potential for early and preclinical diagnosis.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alice Bonanni, Alessia D'Aiello, Daniela Pedicino, Marianna Di Sario, Ramona Vinci, Myriana Ponzo, Pellegrino Ciampi, Denise Lo Curto, Cristina Conte, Francesco Cribari, Francesco Canonico, Giulio Russo, Rocco Antonio Montone, Carlo Trani, Anna Severino, Filippo Crea, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: This study aimed to explore the biological characteristics of patients with Ischemia with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (INOCA) and obstructive chronic coronary syndrome (ObCCS) in order to find specific markers for each clinical condition. The study found that certain molecules involved in adhesion, signaling, vascular motion, and inflammation were expressed at lower levels in INOCA patients compared to ObCCS patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Daniela Pedicino, Anna Severino, Gabriele Di Sante, Maria Cristina De Rosa, Davide Pirolli, Ramona Vinci, Vincenzo Pazzano, Ada F. Giglio, Francesco Trotta, Giulio Russo, Aureliano Ruggio, Eugenia Pisano, Alessia d'Aiello, Francesco Canonico, Pellegrino Ciampi, Domenico Cianflone, Lorenzo Cianfanelli, Maria Chiara Grimaldi, Simone Filomia, Nicola Luciani, Franco Glieca, Piergiorgio Bruno, Massimo Massetti, Francesco Ria, Filippo Crea, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: This study revealed a unique immune signature of the epicardial adipose tissue in acute coronary syndrome patients, paving the way for epitope-driven therapeutic strategies by analyzing T-cell receptor profiles and specific antigen-driven responses.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gianluigi Zanusso, Elisa Colaizzo, Anna Poleggi, Carlo Masullo, Raffaello Romeo, Sergio Ferrari, Matilde Bongianni, Michele Fiorini, Dorina Tiple, Luana Vaianella, Marco Sbriccoli, Flavia Porreca, Michele Equestre, Maurizio Pocchiari, Franco Cardone, Anna Ladogana
Summary: This study reports a case of a gCJD patient with the rare V180I-129V haplotype, showing an unusually long disease duration and a characteristic pathological PrP glycotype. The family members carrying the mutation did not exhibit any symptoms. Neuropathological examination revealed a lesion pattern similar to Japanese V180I cases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Francesco Canonico, Daniela Pedicino, Anna Severino, Ramona Vinci, Davide Flego, Eugenia Pisano, Alessia D'Aiello, Pellegrino Ciampi, Myriana Ponzo, Alice Bonanni, Astrid De Ciutiis, Sara Russo, Marianna Di Sario, Giulia Angelini, Piotr Szczepaniak, Alfonso Baldi, Boguslaw Kapelak, Karol Wierzbicki, Rocco A. Montone, Domenico D'Amario, Massimo Massetti, Tomasz J. Guzik, Filippo Crea, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: The role of glucose metabolism and its players, GLUT-1 and PKM2, in the dysregulation of adaptive immunity and inflammation observed in NSTEMI patients was investigated. NSTEMI patients exhibited higher expression of GLUT-1 and increased glucose uptake in T cells compared to CCS patients and healthy subjects. PKM2 had a nuclear localization in NSTEMI patients, while it was equally distributed in both compartments in CCS patients and healthy subjects. Inhibition of PKM2 enzyme activity and GLUT-1-mediated glucose internalization led to a significant reduction in GLUT-1 expression and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in NSTEMI patients.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Giulio Russo, Daniela Pedicino, Claudio Chiastra, Ramona Vinci, Maurizio Lodi Rizzini, Lorenzo Genuardi, Mohammad Sarraf, Alessia d'Aiello, Marco Bologna, Cristina Aurigemma, Alice Bonanni, Antonio Bellantoni, Fabrizio D'Ascenzo, Pellegrino Ciampi, Aniello Zambrano, Luca Mainardi, Myriana Ponzo, Anna Severino, Carlo Trani, Massimo Massetti, Diego Gallo, Francesco Migliavacca, Francesco Maisano, Amir Lerman, Umberto Morbiducci, Francesco Burzotta, Filippo Crea, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of haemodynamic and biological characteristics of unstable and stable coronary artery plaques and investigate the correlation between wall shear stress (WSS) and molecular pathways. The results showed that nine genes were significantly overexpressed in unstable patients compared to stable patients, with four genes displaying different levels between intact fibrous cap (IFC) and ruptured fibrous cap (RFC) groups. Additionally, higher WSS was observed in the RFC group and significant correlations were found between certain genes and WSS values in the RFC group. These findings suggest the importance of WSS profiling in characterizing plaque instability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andrea Mastrangelo, Angela Mammana, Simone Baiardi, Dorina Tiple, Elisa Colaizzo, Marcello Rossi, Luana Vaianella, Barbara Polischi, Michele Equestre, Anna Poleggi, Sabina Capellari, Anna Ladogana, Piero Parchi
Summary: The introduction of the Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion assay has led to a revision of the diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This study compares the diagnostic value of the old and amended criteria and explores different combinations of clinical variables and biomarker results. The results show that CSF RT-QuIC is highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing CJD, and the Q-CM criteria provide a high diagnostic value.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessia d'Aiello, Alice Bonanni, Ramona Vinci, Daniela Pedicino, Anna Severino, Antonio De Vita, Simone Filomia, Mattia Brecciaroli, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a significant healthcare issue, and newer glucose-lowering medications such as SGLT2i and GLP-1 RAs have shown cardiovascular benefits beyond glycemic control. The link between meta-inflammation and diabetes may play a role in reducing cardiovascular risk.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Denitsa Meteva, Ramona Vinci, Claudio Seppelt, Youssef S. Abdelwahed, Daniela Pedicino, Gregor Nelles, Carsten Skurk, Arash Haghikia, Ursula Rauch-Kroehnert, Teresa Gerhardt, Elisabeth Straessler, Yingjie Zhao, Felix Golla, Michael Joner, Himanshu Rai, Adelheid Kratzer, Hector Giral Arnal, Giovanna Liuzzo, Jens Klotsche, Filippo Crea, Ulf Landmesser, David M. Leistner, Nicolle Kraenkel
Summary: This study identified distinct Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-mediated neutrophil activation in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and an intact fibrous cap (IFC-ACS). The activation was triggered by elevated levels of soluble hyaluronic acid and resulted in the release of active matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), promoting endothelial cell loss-triggered thrombosis.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Damiano Baldassarre, Licia Iacoviello, Roberta Baetta, Maria Carla Roncaglioni, Gianluigi Condorelli, Giuseppe Remuzzi, Gianfranco Gensini, Luigi Frati, Walter Ricciardi, Pier Giulio Conaldi, Antonio Uccelli, Fabio Blandini, Silvano Bosari, Giovanni Scambia, Massimo Fini, Antonio Di Malta, Mauro Amato, Fabrizio Veglia, Alice Bonomi, Catherine Klersy, Francesca Colazzo, Martino Pengo, Francesca Gorini, Luciana Auteri, Giuseppe Ferrante, Marta Baviera, Giuseppe Ambrosio, Alberico Catapano, Alessandro Gialluisi, Alexis Elias Malavazos, Serenella Castelvecchio, Massimiliano Marco Corsi-Romanelli, Rosanna Cardani, Maria Teresa La Rovere, Valentina Agnese, Bianca Pane, Daniele Prati, Laura Spinardi, Giovanna Liuzzo, Eloisa Arbustini, Maurizio Volterrani, Marco Visconti, Jose Pablo Werba, Stefano Genovese, Grzegorz Bilo, Cecilia Invitti, Anna Di Blasio, Carolina Lombardi, Andrea Faini, Debora Rosa, Luisa Ojeda-Fernandez, Andreana Foresta, Amalia De Curtis, Augusto Di Castelnuovo, Simonetta Scalvini, Antonia Pierobon, Alessandra Gorini, Luca Valenti, Livio Luzi, Annarosa Racca, Manuela Bandi, Elena Tremoli, Lorenzo Menicanti, Gianfranco Parati, Giulio Pompilio
Summary: The CV-PREVITAL study is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, controlled, open-label interventional trial aiming to compare the effectiveness of an educational and motivational mobile health intervention with usual care in reducing cardiovascular risk. The trial plans to enrol approximately 80,000 subjects without overt cardiovascular diseases and evaluate the short-term endpoints, as well as conduct a long-term follow-up to assess the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Alice Bonanni, Ramona Vinci, Alessia d'Aiello, Maria Chiara Grimaldi, Marianna Di Sario, Dalila Tarquini, Luca Proto, Anna Severino, Daniela Pedicino, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex clinical syndrome with an expected increase in prevalence. Collagen alterations, including fibrosis, play a role in cardiac remodeling, making them potential targets for treatment. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic cross-linking mechanisms offer avenues for reducing cardiac fibrosis in HFpEF patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ramona Vinci, Alessia d'Aiello, Sarah Costantino, Nikola Dino Capocchiano, Joan T. Matamalas, Daniela Pedicino
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eugenia Pisano, Francesca Bugli, Anna Severino, Daniela Pedicino, Francesco Paroni Sterbini, Cecilia Martini, Flavio De Maio, Ramona Vinci, Andrea Sacconi, Francesco Canonico, Alessia D'Aiello, Alice Bonanni, Luca Proto, Pellegrino Ciampi, Myriana Ponzo, Maria Chiara Grimaldi, Andrea Urbani, Aniello Primiano, Jacopo Gervasoni, Rocco Montone, Filippo Crea, Maurizio Sanguinetti, Giovanna Liuzzo
Summary: This study aims to investigate the gut and coronary plaque microbiota, and it reveals distinct microbial signatures between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), suggesting a possible role of these microbiotas in coronary plaque instability.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Francesco Canonico, Anna Severino, Massimiliano Camilli, Stefano Migliaro, Ramona Vinci, Mattia Galli, Eugenia Pisano, Alessandra Arcudi, Alice Bonanni, Marianna Di Sario, Astrid De Ciutiis, Sara Russo, Giulia Angelini, Daniela Pedicino, Rocco Montone, Giampaolo Niccoli, Giovanna Liuzzo, Filippo Crea, Domenico D'Amario
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2022)