Publications by authors named "Alessia Calabro"

Background: Respiratory viral infections are a leading cause of severe diseases and mortality; therefore, novel treatments effective for their prevention are highly requested. Here, we identified a broad-spectrum antiviral activity of a natural exopolysaccharide, EPS T14, purified from a marine thermotolerant strain of strain T14.

Methods: The effects on human normal nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) following treatment with EPS T14 was evaluated at different time points and with increasing concentration of compound.

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Growing evidence highlights the pivotal role of RORγt-innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the establishment of antitumor immune response and in enhancing tumor sensitivity to immunotherapy. Noteworthy, type 3 ILCs (ILC3s) have been recently acknowledged as an important class of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the context of host-microorganism interactions shaping the adaptive immune response in the intestinal mucosa. Although a broad range of mouse models has led to significant progress in untangling the role of ILC3s as APCs, the outcome of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-dependent ILC-T cell crosstalk in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains underexplored in human.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A new subtype of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) was identified in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), characterized by monocytes expressing granulocyte marker CD15, which increased in both blood and tumor tissues.
  • - This granulocyte-like monocyte population was linked to elevated levels of granulocyte-monocyte precursors (GMPs) in the peripheral blood, indicating a distinct immune profile in CRC patients.
  • - The study revealed that these monocytes suppress natural killer (NK) cell activity by inducing specific markers (TIGIT and NKp30), leading to a higher frequency of dysfunctional NK cells, highlighting a potential target for cancer immunotherapy.
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The recent evolution of immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has led to new therapeutic standards. The advances in immunotherapy have been accompanied by the recognition of the role of the gut-liver axis in the progression of HCC but also of the clinical relevance of the gut microbiota, which influences host homeostasis but also cancer development and the response to treatment. Dysbiosis, by altering the tumour microenvironment, favours the activation of intracellular signalling pathways and promotes carcinogenesis.

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Type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) are primarily tissue-resident cells strategically localized at the intestinal barrier that exhibit the fast-acting responsiveness of classic innate immune cells. Populations of these lymphocytes depend on the transcription factor RAR-related orphan receptor and play a key role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, keeping host-microbial mutualism in check. Current evidence has indicated a bidirectional relationship between microbiota and ILC3s.

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