A5032869663- Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies
- Material Dynamics and Properties
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Thermodynamic properties of mixtures
- Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics
- Down syndrome and intellectual disability research
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Advanced NMR Techniques and Applications
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Neonatal Health and Biochemistry
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
- Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Disease
- Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Coenzyme Q10 studies and effects
- Aldose Reductase and Taurine
- Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
- Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Natural Antidiabetic Agents Studies
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
2025
Sapienza University of Rome
2020-2024
Istituto Pasteur
2020-2022
Material Physics Center
2009-2012
University of the Basque Country
2009-2011
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2011
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
2010
King's College London
2010
University College London
2010
Roma Tre University
2003-2009
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder and leading genetic cause of intellectual disability in humans, which results from triplication chromosome 21. To search for biomarkers early detection exploration disease mechanisms, here, we investigated protein expression signature peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DS children compared with healthy donors (HD) by using an in-depth label-free shotgun proteomics approach. Identified proteins are found associated metabolic...
Studies of liquid water in its supercooled region have helped us better understand the structure and behavior water. Bulk freezes at homogeneous nucleation temperature (approximately 235 K), but protein hydration avoids this crystallization because each molecule binds to a protein. Here, we study dynamics hydrogen bond (HB) network percolating layer molecules compare measurements hydrated globular with results coarse-grained model that successfully reproduces properties Using dielectric...
The observation made by early naturalists that some organisms could tolerate extreme environmental condisions and "enjoy the advantage of real resurrection after death" [Spallanzani, M. Opuscules de Physique Animale et Vegetale 1776 (translated from Italian Senebier, J. 1787, 2, 203−285)] stimulated research still continues to this day. Cryptobiosis, ability an organism adverse environments, such as dehydration low temperatures, represents unsolved fascinating problem. It has been shown many...
Brain insulin resistance links the failure of energy metabolism with cognitive decline in both type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), although molecular changes preceding overt brain remain unexplored. Abnormal biliverdin reductase-A (BVR-A) levels were observed T2D AD associated resistance. Here, we demonstrate that reduced BVR-A alter signaling mitochondrial bioenergetics brain. Loss leads to IRS1 hyper-activation but dysregulates Akt-GSK3β complex response insulin,...
Down syndrome (DS) is the most frequent genetic cause of intellectual disability and strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain insulin resistance greatly contributes to AD development in general population previous studies from our group showed an early accumulation markers DS brain, already childhood, even before onset. Here we tested effects promoted Ts2Cje mice by intranasal administration KYCCSRK peptide known foster signaling activation directly interacting activating...
Whether jaundice, a common presentation of Plasmodium ( P .) falciparum malaria (1-3) arising from the accumulation circulating bilirubin, represents an adaptive or maladaptive response to spp. infection is not understood (1-3). We found that asymptomatic P. was associated with >10-fold higher ratio unconjugated bilirubin over parasite burden, compared symptomatic malaria. Genetic suppression synthesis by biliverdin reductase A (BVRA) (4) increased virulence and mortality in mice....
Multicellular organisms rely on inter-organ communication networks to maintain vital parameters within a dynamic physiological range. Macrophages are central this homeostatic control system, sensing deviations of those and responding accordingly support tissue function organismal homeostasis. Here we demonstrate that dysregulation iron metabolism in parenchyma cells, imposed by the deletion ferritin H chain, is sensed monocyte-derived macrophages. In response, macrophages derived from...
Abstract The function of GABA or glycine during early postnatal development remains controversial as their action is reported either excitatory inhibitory. present study addressed the question functional role on rat motoneurons shortly after birth. For this purpose, using in vitro preparations from immature rats (postnatal age, P0‐P4 days), we recorded lumbar spinal and hypoglossal motoneurons. All data were obtained under current clamp conditions (recording with potassium methylsulphate...
The momentum distribution of protons in the hydration shell a globular protein has been measured through deep inelastic neutron scattering at 180 and 290 K, below above crossover temperature ${T}_{c}=1.23{T}_{g}$, where ${T}_{g}=219\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{K}$ is glass transition temperature. It found that mean kinetic energy water hydrogens shows no dependence, but measurements are accurate enough to indicate sensible change effective potential felt by protons, compatible with from single...
The results of a neutron diffraction experiment performed on aqueous solutions KSCN are analyzed and discussed in comparison with similar data for KCl KOH solutions. effect the different ions structure water differences similarities among ion solvation shells detail. In particular it is shown that visible as shift broadening second peak oxygen-oxygen radial distribution function, which corresponds to lower number interstitial molecules, compared pure water. hydration shell cation found case...
Paediatric Huntington disease with highly expanded mutations (HE-PHD; >80 CAG repeats) presents atypically, compared to adult-onset (AOHD), neurodevelopmental delay, epilepsy, abnormal brain glucose metabolism, early striatal damage, and reduced lifespan. Since genetic GLUT-1 deficiency syndrome shows a symptom spectrum similar HE-PHD, we investigated the potential role of two main transporters, GLUT-3, in HE-PHD.We GLUT-3 protein expression juvenile-onset (JOHD), AOHD brains (n = 2; n 3; 6)...
Protein O-GlcNAcylation is a nutrient-related post-translational modification that, since its discovery some 30 years ago, has been associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. As reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD), flaws cerebral glucose uptake translate into reduced hexosamine biosynthetic pathway flux and subsequently lead to aberrant protein O-GlcNAcylation. Notably, reduction O-GlcNAcylated proteins involves also tau APP, thus promoting their phosphorylation AD brain...
The relaxation dynamic of ribose and deoxyribose water solutions at different concentrations has been studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy differential scanning calorimetry in the temperature range 150–250 K. Two processes are observed for all hydration levels; slower (process I) is related to whole solution whereas faster one II) associated with reorientation molecules mixture. As other polymeric solutions, data process II indicate existence a critical concentration above which...
We show that is possible to look at the glass transition as a percolation in phase space. This study has been carried out on hydrated globular enzyme for which thermodynamic and percolative could have functional significance. The approach adopted based identity of roles played respectively by temperature ${T}_{o}$ critical hydration threshold ${h}_{c}$ protons surface through protein, given dynamical arrest observed temperatures below ${h}_{c}$. Theoretical predictions dependence...
The reliability of tripeptide glutathione as an excellent model for protein–water interactions is tested by means broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Measurements performed on aqueous solutions with different water contents show a surprisingly rich relaxation map that strongly resembles those observed more complex protein macromolecules. At variance what normally hydrophilic compounds similar molecular weights, the presence at least two water-related processes detected. faster one symmetric,...
We have investigated the dielectric properties, as a function of frequency and temperature, hydrated globular protein lysozyme. A large data set made up by measurements performed with conventional capacitance bridge broadband apparatus on same sample has allowed us to identify two dispersions. The main dispersion is due migrating protons along hydrogen bonded water molecules adsorbed surface. dynamics these charges many analogies that proton glasses other glass forming materials. Remarkably,...
Trehalose solutions were investigated by means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy at different water contents, ranging from an anhydrous sample to wC = 40%. While the structural α-relaxation was detectable only in low hydration and dry samples, a quite limited range temperatures, two secondary processes presented characterized all investigated. In particular, fastest process displayed characteristic behavior widely observed other small organic glass formers. It had Arrhenius-like...