Publications by authors named "Cristina Pastorino"

Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers investigated the G85E-CFTR variant using human nasal epithelial cells and found that the drugs elexacaftor and tezacaftor modestly improved CFTR function, but chronic treatment with ivacaftor had negative effects.
  • * The study suggests that combining elexacaftor with a new corrector, ARN23765, can significantly enhance CFTR activity and highlights the need for better drug combinations to help patients with the G85E mutation.
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S737F is a Cystic Fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) missense variant. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical features of a cohort of individuals carrying this variant. In parallel, by exploiting ex vivo functional and molecular analyses on nasal epithelia derived from a subset of S737F carriers, we evaluated its functional impact on CFTR protein as well as its responsiveness to CFTR modulators.

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Carriers of single pathogenic variants of the (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 and 14-day death. The machine learning post-Mendelian model pinpointed as a bidirectional modulator of COVID-19 outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that the rare complex allele [G576V;R668C] is associated with a milder disease via a gain-of-function mechanism.

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Background: Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations impairing expression, trafficking, stability and/or activity of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel. The G1244E mutation causes a severe gating defect that it is not completely rescued by ivacaftor but requires the use of a second compound (a co-potentiator). Recently, it has been proposed that the corrector elexacaftor may act also as a co-potentiator.

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RNF5, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) E3 ubiquitin ligase, participates to the ER-associated protein degradation guaranteeing the protein homeostasis. Depending on tumor model tested, RNF5 exerts pro- or anti-tumor activity. The aim of this study was to elucidate the controversial role of RNF5 in neuroblastoma and melanoma, two neuroectodermal tumors of infancy and adulthood, respectively.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs and pancreas due to mutations that disrupt the CFTR protein's function, crucial for chloride transport in various organs.
  • Recent advancements in CF treatment involve small molecule therapies that correct the misfolded CFTR protein or enhance its channel activity, with multi-drug combinations being explored.
  • The study reports on the design and testing of a new series of hybrid compounds aimed at improving CFTR function, identifying potential new correctors, and providing insights for future drug development.
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Loss-of-function mutations of the gene cause cystic fibrosis (CF) through a variety of molecular mechanisms involving altered expression, trafficking, and/or activity of the CFTR chloride channel. The most frequent mutation among CF patients, F508del, causes multiple defects that can be, however, overcome by a combination of three pharmacological agents that improve CFTR channel trafficking and gating, namely, elexacaftor, tezacaftor, and ivacaftor. This study was prompted by the evidence of two CF patients, compound heterozygous for F508del and a minimal function variant, who failed to obtain any beneficial effects following treatment with the triple drug combination.

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Deletion of phenylalanine at position 508 (F508del) in the CFTR chloride channel is the most frequent mutation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. F508del impairs the stability and folding of the CFTR protein, thus resulting in mistrafficking and premature degradation. F508del-CFTR defects can be overcome with small molecules termed correctors.

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