A5035664383- Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Cardiomyopathy and Myosin Studies
- Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
- Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Atrial Fibrillation Management and Outcomes
- Congenital heart defects research
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiac Arrhythmias and Treatments
- Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise
- Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Heart rate and cardiovascular health
- Cardiac Ischemia and Reperfusion
- Cardiac Fibrosis and Remodeling
- Cardiac pacing and defibrillation studies
- Electrochemical Analysis and Applications
- Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide
- Phosphodiesterase function and regulation
- ECG Monitoring and Analysis
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
University of Florence
2015-2025
University of Connecticut
2020
Meyer Children's Hospital
2020
Imperial College London
2012-2016
Florence (Netherlands)
2016
King's College London
2016
Centro Cardiologico Monzino
2016
Institute of Experimental Cardiology
2016
Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi
2012-2013
Gilead Sciences (United States)
2012
Background— Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common mendelian heart disorder, remains an orphan of disease-specific pharmacological treatment because limited understanding cellular mechanisms underlying arrhythmogenicity and diastolic dysfunction. Methods Results— We assessed electromechanical profile cardiomyocytes from 26 HCM patients undergoing myectomy compared with those nonfailing nonhypertrophic surgical by performing patch-clamp intracellular Ca 2+ (Ca i ) studies....
Abstract Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells constitute a promising cell source for the regeneration of damaged hearts. The assessment their in vitro functional properties is mandatory to envisage appropriate cardiac cell-based therapies. In this study, we characterized cell-derived cardiomyocytes over 3-month period, using patch-clamp or intracellular recordings assess maturation and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction evaluate expression ion channel-encoding...
Acetaminophen [N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP)] is the most common antipyretic/analgesic medicine worldwide. If APAP overdosed, its metabolite, N-acetyl-p-benzo-quinoneimine (NAPQI), causes liver damage. However, epidemiological evidence has associated previous use of therapeutic doses with risk chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. The transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) channel expressed by peptidergic primary sensory neurons. Because NAPQI, like other TRPA1...
A prominent role of hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels has been suggested based on their expression and (dys)function in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, being likely involved peripheral nociception. Using HCN blockers as antinociceptive drugs is prevented by the widespread distribution these channels. However, tissue-specific isoforms varies significantly, HCN1 HCN2 considered major players DRG excitability. We characterized pharmacological effect a novel...
HL‐1 cells are adult mouse atrial myocytes induced to proliferate indefinitely by SV40 large T antigen. These beat spontaneously when confluent and express several cardiac cell markers including the outward delayed rectifier K + channel. Here, we examined presence of a hyperpolarization‐activated I f current in using whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique on isolated enzymatically dissociated from culture at confluence. Cell membrane capacitance ( C m ) ranged 5 53 pF. was detected about 30 % its...
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Selective hyperpolarization activated, cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel (HCN) blockers represent an important therapeutic goal due to the wide distribution and multiple functions of these proteins, representing molecular correlate f‐ h‐current ( I f or h ). Recently, new compounds able block differentially homomeric HCN isoforms expressed in HEK293 have been synthesized. In present work, electrophysiological pharmacological properties were characterized their activities...
The early phases of embryonic development and cancer share similar strategies to improve their survival in an inhospitable environment: both proliferate a hypoxic catecholamine‐rich context, increasing aerobic glycolysis. Recent studies show that β 3‐adrenergic receptor ( 3‐AR) is involved tumor progression, playing important role metastasis. Among ‐adrenergic receptors, 3‐AR the last identified member this family, it cell induction stromal reactivity microenvironment. well known as strong...
Cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) are the most promising source with preserved genetic background of healthy individuals or patients. This study aimed to establish a systematic procedure for exploring development hiPSC-CM functional output predict cardiomyopathy outcomes and identify molecular targets therapy. Biomimetic substrates microtopography physiological stiffness can overcome immaturity function. We have developed custom-made apparatus simultaneous...
Despite the evidence that hyperpolarization-activated current (If) is highly modulated in human cardiomyopathies, no definite data exist chronic atrial fibrillation (cAF). We investigated expression, function, and modulation of If cAF.Right samples were obtained from sinus rhythm (SR, n = 49) or cAF (duration >1 year, 31) patients undergoing corrective cardiac surgery. Among f-channel isoforms expressed atrium (HCN1, 2 4), HCN4 mRNA levels measured by RT-PCR significantly reduced. However,...
Cardiomyocytes from diseased hearts are subjected to complex remodeling processes involving changes in cell structure, excitation contraction coupling and membrane ion currents. Those likely be responsible for the increased arrhythmogenic risk contractile alterations leading systolic diastolic dysfunction cardiac patients. However, most information on of myocyte function diseases has come animal models. Here we describe validate a protocol isolate viable myocytes small surgical samples...
Maturation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CM) is accompanied by changes in ion channel expression, with relevant electrophysiological consequences. In rodent CM, the properties hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN)4, a major f-channel isoform, depends on association caveolin-3 (Cav3). To date, no information exists Cav3 expression and its associative relationship HCN4 upon hESC-CM maturation. We hypothesize that compartmentalization channels...
Congenital heart defects (CHD) occur in approximately 50% of patients with Down syndrome (DS); the mechanisms for this occurrence however remain unknown. In order to understand how these evolve early development DS, we focused on earliest stages cardiogenesis ascertain perturbations leading CHD. Using a trisomy 21 (T21) sibling human embryonic stem cell (hESC) model show that T21-hESC display many significant differences expression genes and populations associated mesodermal, more notably,...
Objective: Cardiac hypertrophy due to pressure overload is associated with several cellular electrophysiological alterations such as prolongation of action potential duration (APD), decrease in transient outward current (Ito) and occurrence the pacemaker If. These may play a role sudden arrhythmic death, which major risk factor myocardial failure. Since angiotensin II key signal for myocyte hypertrophy, we tested if an 8-week treatment old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) antagonist...
Corrected by: Erratum for: Cardiac and Electrophysiological Effects of Primary Refined Extracts from Leonurus cardiaca L. (Ph.Eur.)Planta Med 2010; 76(06): E11-E11DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1240698
New If blockers have been designed and tested on HEK293 cells stably expressing the HCN1, HCN2, HCN4 channels to find compounds able discriminate among channel isoforms. Among synthesized compounds, cis-butene derivative (R)-5 shows some preference for HCN2 while pseudodimeric product (R)-6 selectivity HCN1. These can be important pharmacological tools study in native tissues may useful design safe drugs.
Functional smooth muscle engineering requires isolation and expansion of cells (SMCs), this process is particularly challenging for visceral tissue where progenitor have not been clearly identified. Herein we showed the first time that efficient SMCs can be obtained from human amniotic fluid stem (hAFSCs). Clonal lines were generated c-kit(+) hAFSCs. Differentiation toward SM lineage (SMhAFSCs) was using a medium conditioned by PDGF-BB TGF-β1. Molecular assays revealed higher level α actin...
Abstract Background Human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) hold high potential for basic and applied cardiovascular research. The development of a reliable simulation platform able to mimic the functional properties hESC-CMs would be considerable value perform preliminary test complementing in vitro experimentations. Methods We developed first computational model hESC-CM action by integrating our original electrophysiological recordings transient-outward, funny,...