Molecular toxicology, Coordinator: Paolini

Research themes

• In vivo studies on putative toxicological (co-mutagenesis, co-carcinogenesis) or beneficial (chemoprevention) effects associated with the modulation of drug metabolism enzymes and antioxidants by xenobiotics in animal models with particular interest in the adverse outcomes associated with the chronic intake of essential nutrients, micro- and macro-nutrients as dietary supplements.
• Study of the protective role of new antioxidant molecules in chronic degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, EAE and Alzheimer's.
• Study of the toxicological effects associated with the use of electronic nicotine-releasing devices (ENDS), with particular interest in oxidative damage to macromolecules and the modification of key signaling pathways involved in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and tumor progression.
• In vivo subcutaneous tumor grafting and tumorigenesis development of 3D multidimensional culture models with the aim of increasing the success of basic and applied studies for the development of new therapies for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

For further information, please consult the teachers' pages: Moreno Paolini; Fabio Vivarelli; Donatella Canistro

Lab members

Moreno Paolini - Full Professor

Donatella Canistro - Assistant Professor

Fabio Vivarelli - Junior Assistant Professor

Camilla Morosini - PhD student

Internship projects

2 position open on the projects above mentioned for students of Pharmacy, CTF, Biology, Health Biology, Food safety and food risk management.

Main publications

• Effects of unburned tobacco smoke on inflammatory and oxidative mediators in rat prefrontal cortex. Vivarelli F, Morosini C, Rullo C, Losapio L.M., Lacorte A, Sangiorgi S, Ghini S, Fagiolino I, Franchi P, Lucarini M, Candeletti S, Canistro D, Romualdi P, Paolini M. Front. Pharmacol. 15, 2024 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1328917/full/
• Unburned tobacco cigarette smoke alters rat ultrastructural lung airways and DNA. Vivarelli F, Canistro D, Cirillo S, Elias RJ, Granata S, Mussoni M, Burattini S, Falcieri E, Turrini E, Fimognari C, Buschini A, Lazzaretti M, Beghi S, Girotti S, Sangiorgi S, Bolelli L, Ghini S, Ferri EN, Fagiolino I, Franchi P, Lucarini M, Mercatante D, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Lorenzini A, Marchionni S, Gabriele M, Longo V, Paolini M. Nicotine Tob Res. 23(12):2127-21342021, 2021 https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/172/1/132/5544281
•  The customizable e-cigarette resistance influences toxicological outcomes: lung degeneration, inflammation and oxidative stress-induced in a rat model. Cirillo S, Vivarelli F, Turrini E, Fimognari C, Burattini S, Falcieri E, Rocchi MBL, Cardenia V, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Paolini M, Canistro D. Toxicol Sci. 172(1):132-145, 2019 https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/172/1/132/5544281
•  Co-carcinogenic effects of vitamin E in prostate. Vivarelli F, Canistro D, Cirillo S, Papi A, Spisni E, Vornoli A, Croce CMD, Longo V, Franchi P, Filippi S, Lucarini M, Zanzi C, Rotondo F, Lorenzini A, Marchionni S, Paolini M. Sci Rep. 9(1):11636, 2019 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48213-1
• E-cigarettes induce toxicological effects that can raise the cancer risk. Canistro D, Vivarelli F, Cirillo S, Babot Marquillas C, Buschini A, Lazzaretti M, Marchi L, Cardenia V, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Lodovici M, Cipriani C, Lorenzini A, Croco E, Marchionni S, Franchi P, Lucarini M, Longo V, Della Croce CM, Vornoli A, Colacci A, Vaccari M, Sapone A, Paolini M. Sci Rep. 7(1):2028, 2017 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-02317-8