MAIN RESEARCH FIELDS:
- biochemical aspects of autophagy,
growth, differentiation, apoptosis and senescence of
human and mammalian cells, also in relation to pathological
conditions, such as cardiovascular and arthritic diseases;
- metabolism and function of aliphatic polyamines, with particular
attention to ornithine decarboxylase;
- functions of extra-cellular
messengers and signal transduction pathways, such
as those involving IKK/NF-kB, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, AMPK and sirtuins;
- expression of specific microRNAs and their role in the regulation of key proteins and cellular processes;
- effects of nutraceuticals and nutritional factors.
Biochemical and molecular techniques are being used
to investigate these metabolic and signaling networks.
Pharmalogical and genetic approaches are employed
to inhibit key proteins. Main experimental models:
1)
primary cultures of chondrocytes and chondrocyte-derived cell
lines, treated with various stimuli, such as pro-inflammatory and
anti-inflammatory cytokines;
2) primary cultures of
cardiomyocytes and cardiac cell lines (H9c2), submitted
to stress conditions and neuro-hormonal factors;
3)
mesenchymal stem cells from various sources stimulated to
differentiation towards different phenotypes for regenerative
medicine.
