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Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - FABIT

Cellular Neurobiology. Coordinator: Monti

Understanding the biochemical and molecular mechanisms in the cross-talk between glial cells (microglia, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes) and neurons in physiological conditions, as well as their alterations in neurodegenerative diseases to identify potential therapeutic targets.

Areas: Drug discovery and development Neuroscience Nutrition and health

Research themes

  1. Study of biochemical, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate proliferation/differentiation in physiological conditions and their alterations in the rare, neurodegenerative and demyelinating genetic pathology AGC-1 deficiency, by using in vitro (cell lines, neurospheres and brain cells derived from human iPS) and in vivo models, in collaboration with Dr. Lasorsa, (Univ. Bari). Telethon project.
  2. Study of biochemical, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the rare genetic and neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome, in in vitro models of brain cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPScells), in collaboration with the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST) Italia and Prof.ssa Cristina Alberini, NYU (USA). PNRR-PE12 Mnesys project, Spoke 1-Neurodevelopment.
  3. Study of epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of circadian rhythm genes in neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPScells) in Alzheimer’s disease. MSCA-JDN Tclock4AD project coordinated by Prof.ssa Maria Laura Bolognesi (FaBiT).
  4. Characterization of the immunomodulatory role of miRNAs secreted by glial cells both as soluble molecules and through extracellular vesicles in neurodegenerative diseases, in collaboration with Dr. Giampaolo Zuccheri (FaBiT), as well as identification of long non-coding RNAs in neuroinflammation, in collaboration with Prof.ssa Raffaella Casadei (QUVI) and Prof.ssa Flavia Frabetti (DIMEC). PNRR-CN3 project, Spoke 1-Neuroinflammation.
  5. Characterization of the immunomodulatory role of microRNAs contained in extracellular vesicles released by neurospheres obtained from a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. PRIN2022 project (Vilella-Massenzio) coordinated by Dr. Antonietta Vilella (UNIMORE).
  6. Screening of small molecules of synthesis and characterization of their neuroprotective, neuro-glio-regenerative and immunomodulatory effect, in collaboration with Prof. Maria Laura Bolognesi Bolognesi and Prof. Anna Minarini (FaBiT), and other international research groups.

 

Lab Members

Barbara Monti, Professoressa Ordinaria 

Francesca Massenzio, Tenur Track Assistant Professor

Eleonora Poeta, Research Fellow (Post Doc)

Chiara D’Silva, PhD Student

Cecilia Franciosi, PhD Student

Tânia Raquel Cunha Alves, PhD Student

Internship projects

2 internship projects/academic year for master’s degree students in Molecular and Cell Biology/Health Biology.

2 internship projects / academic year for bachelor’s degree students in Biotechnology.

Main publications

  • Balboni N, Babini G, Poeta E, Protti M, Mercolini L, Magnifico MC, Barile SN, Massenzio F, Pignataro A, Giorgi FM, Lasorsa FM, Monti B. Transcriptional and metabolic effects of aspartate-glutamate carrier isoform 1 (AGC1) downregulation in mouse oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2024 Mar 29;29(1):44. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-024-00563-z
  • De Chirico F, Poeta E, Babini G, Piccolino I, Monti B, Massenzio F. New models of Parkinson's like neuroinflammation in human microglia clone 3: Activation profiles induced by INF-γ plus high glucose and mitochondrial inhibitors. Front Cell Neurosci. 2022 Nov 29;16:1038721. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1038721. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2022.1038721/full
  • Poeta E, Petralla S, Babini G, Renzi B, Celauro L, Magnifico MC, Barile SN, Masotti M, De Chirico F, Massenzio F, Viggiano L, Palmieri L, Virgili M, Lasorsa FM, Monti B. Histone Acetylation Defects in Brain Precursor Cells: A Potential Pathogenic Mechanism Causing Proliferation and Differentiation Dysfunctions in Mitochondrial Aspartate-Glutamate Carrier Isoform 1 Deficiency. Front Cell Neurosci. 2022 Jan 12;15:773709. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2021.773709. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2021.773709/full
  • Petralla S, Peña-Altamira LE, Poeta E, Massenzio F, Virgili M, Barile SN, Sbano L, Profilo E, Corricelli M, Danese A, Giorgi C, Ostan R, Capri M, Pinton P, Palmieri F, Lasorsa FM, Monti B. Deficiency of Mitochondrial Aspartate-Glutamate Carrier 1 Leads to Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Proliferation Defects Both In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 11;20(18):4486. doi: 10.3390/ijms20184486. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/18/4486
  • Massenzio F, Peña-Altamira E, Petralla S, Virgili M, Zuccheri G, Miti A, Polazzi E, Mengoni I, Piffaretti D, Monti B. Microglial overexpression of fALS-linked mutant SOD1 induces SOD1 processing impairment, activation and neurotoxicity and is counteracted by the autophagy inducer trehalose. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2018 Dec;1864(12):3771-3785. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.10.013.

Contacts