Publications by authors named "Daniela F Angelini"

Limited information exists regarding the impact of interferons (IFNs) on the information carried by extracellular vesicles (EVs). This study aimed at investigating whether IFN-α2b, IFN-β, IFN-γ, and IFN-λ1/2 modulate the content of EVs released by primary monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). Small-EVs (sEVs) were purified by size exclusion chromatography from supernatants of MDM treated with IFNs.

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Several mutations in the SOD1 gene encoding for the antioxidant enzyme Superoxide Dismutase 1, are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare and devastating disease characterized by motor neuron degeneration and patients' death within 2-5 years from diagnosis. Motor neuron loss and related symptomatology manifest mostly in adult life and, to date, there is still a gap of knowledge on the precise cellular and molecular events preceding neurodegeneration. To deepen our awareness of the early phases of the disease, we leveraged two Drosophila melanogaster models pan-neuronally expressing either the mutation A4V or G85R of the human gene SOD1 (hSOD1 or hSOD1).

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In this study we analyzed the expression of Yin and Yang 1 protein (YY1), a member of the noncanonical PcG complexes, in AML patient samples and AML cell lines and the effect of YY1 downregulation on the AML differentiation block. Our results show that YY1 is significantly overexpressed in AML patient samples and AML cell lines and that YY1 knockdown relieves the differentiation block. YY1 downregulation in two AML cell lines (HL-60 and OCI-AML3) and one AML patient sample restored the expression of members of the CEBP protein family, increased the expression of extrinsic growth factors/receptors and surface antigenic markers, induced morphological cell characteristics typical of myeloid differentiation, and sensitized cells to retinoic acid treatment and to apoptosis.

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To follow mast cells (MCs) distribution during aging and inflammation, we characterized two transgenic mouse models in which the EGFP expression is controlled by 9 kb or 12 kb of Kit gene promoter, defined as p18 and p70, respectively. We detected EGFP-positive cells in the serosal surfaces of the peritoneum, pleuras and pericardium, mucosal cavities, and connective tissue of almost all organs including gonads of p70, but not of p18 mice. By FACS and immunofluorescence for FcεR1, Kit and β7-integrin, we found that these EGFP positive cells were MCs.

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The composition of the intestinal microbiota plays a critical role in shaping the immune system. Modern lifestyle, the inappropriate use of antibiotics, and exposure to pollution have significantly affected the composition of commensal microorganisms. The intestinal microbiota has been shown to sustain inappropriate autoimmune responses at distant sites in animal models of disease, and may also have a role in immune-mediated central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

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Vitamin C has been shown to play a significant role in suppressing progression of leukemia through epigenetic mechanisms. We aimed to study the role of vitamin C in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) biology and clinical course. To this purpose, the plasma levels of vitamin C at diagnosis in 62 patients with AML (including 5 cases with acute promyelocytic leukemia, APL),7 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and in 15 healthy donors (HDs) were studied.

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is a commensal yeast colonizer of mucosal surfaces and an emerging opportunistic pathogen in the mucosa and bloodstream. The role of has been largely characterized in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and monocyte-derived dendritic cells, where yeast cells induce the production of inflammatory cytokines through the interaction with mannose receptors, chitin receptors, DC SIGN, and dectin1. However, the response of blood-circulating dendritic cells (DCs) to has never been investigated.

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In the present study, we characterized the metabolic background of different Acute Myeloid Leukemias' (AMLs) cells and described a heterogeneous and highly flexible energetic metabolism. Using the Seahorse XF Agilent, we compared the metabolism of normal hematopoietic progenitors with that of primary AML blasts and five different AML cell lines. We assessed the efficacy and mechanism of action of the association of high doses of ascorbate, a powerful oxidant, with the metabolic inhibitor buformin, which inhibits mitochondrial complex I and completely shuts down mitochondrial contributions in ATP production.

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Importance: The emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 and the findings of a significantly reduced neutralizing potency of sera from individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination highlights the importance of studying cellular immunity to estimate the degree of immune protection to the new SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Objective: To determine T-cell reactivity to the Omicron variant in individuals with established (natural and/or vaccine-induced) immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a cohort study conducted between December 20 and 21, 2021, at the Santa Lucia Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy, among health care worker and scientist volunteers.

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Objective: Bone metastasis is a clinically important outcome of prostate carcinoma (PC). We focused on the phenotypic and functional characterization of a particularly aggressive phenotype within the androgen-independent bone metastasis-derived PC3 cell line. These cells, originated from the spontaneous conversion of a CD44-negative subpopulation, stably express the CD44v8-10 isoform (CD44v8-10) and display stem cell-like features and a marked invasive phenotype that is lost upon CD44v8-10 silencing.

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Neuropathic pain (NeP) in humans is often a life-long condition with no effective therapy available. The higher incidence of female gender in NeP onset is worldwide reported, and although the cause is generally attributed to sex hormones, the actual mechanisms and the players involved are still unclear. Glial and immune cells take part in NeP development, and orchestrate the neuroimmune and inflammatory response, releasing pro-inflammatory factors with chemoattractant properties that activate resident immune cells and recruit immune cells from circulation.

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The role of mitophagy, a process that allows the removal of damaged mitochondria from cells, remains unknown in multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that is found associated with dysfunctional mitochondria. Here we have qualitatively and quantitatively studied the main players in PINK1-mediated mitophagy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We found the variant c.

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Recent findings have shown that nanovesicles preparations from either primary immune cells culture supernatants or plasma contain immunoglobulins, suggesting that a natural way of antibody production may be through exosome release. To verify this hypothesis, we used the OKT3 hybridoma clone, which produces a murine IgG2a monoclonal antibody used to reduce rejection in patients undergoing organ transplantation. We showed exosome-associated immunoglobulins in hybridoma supernatants, by Western blot, nanoscale flow cytometry and immunocapture-based ELISA.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent research indicates that the immune system plays a significant role in the progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), though the exact mechanisms and immune components involved are still unclear.
  • In a study using SOD1-G93A mice at different stages of the disease, researchers observed early immune responses, including the presence of IgG and increased activation of mast cells and macrophages, correlating with neurodegeneration.
  • Findings highlight an initial immune disorder linked to ALS, suggesting that mast cells are key players in initiating and sustaining inflammation, pointing to new potential targets for ALS treatment.
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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3-ITD mutations (FLT3-ITD) remains a therapeutic challenge, with a still high relapse rate, despite targeted treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In this disease, the CD34/CD123/CD25/CD99+ leukemic precursor cells (LPCs) phenotype predicts for FLT3-ITD-positivity. The aim of this study was to characterize the distribution of FLT3-ITD mutation in different progenitor cell subsets to shed light on the subclonal architecture of FLT3-ITD AML.

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Objective: Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been associated with clinical activity and risk of developing MS. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of glatiramer acetate (GA) therapy on EBV-specific immune responses and disease course.

Methods: We characterized EBV-specific CD8 T lymphocytes and B cells during disease-modifying treatments in 2 groups of patients with MS.

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We show that extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by mesenchymal cells (i.e., fibro-adipogenic progenitors-FAPs) mediate microRNA (miR) transfer to muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and that exposure of dystrophic FAPs to HDAC inhibitors (HDACis) increases the intra-EV levels of a subset of miRs, which cooperatively target biological processes of therapeutic interest, including regeneration, fibrosis, and inflammation.

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Acidity, hypoxia and increased release of exosomes are severe phenotypes of tumours. The regulation of pH in tumours involves the interaction of several proteins, including the carbonic anhydrases which catalyze the formation of bicarbonate and protons from carbon dioxide and water. Among CA isoforms, CA IX is over-expressed in a large number of solid tumours, conferring to cancer cells a survival advantage in hypoxic and acidic microenvironment, but there isn't evidence that CA IX expression could have a real clinical impact.

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Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) fails to discriminate between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate Cancer (PCa), resulting in large numbers of unnecessary biopsies and missed cancer diagnoses. Nanovesicles called exosomes are directly detectable in patient plasma and here we explore the potential use of plasmatic exosomes expressing PSA (Exo-PSA) in distinguishing healthy individuals, BPH, and PCa. Exosomes were obtained from plasma samples of 80 PCa, 80 BPH, and 80 healthy donors (CTR).

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The use of nanomaterials is increasing but the real risk associated with their use in humans has to be defined. In fact, nanomaterials tend to accumulate in organs over a long period of time and are slowly degraded or eliminated by the body. Exosomes are nanovesicles actively shuttle molecules, including chemical products and metals, through the body.

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Exosomes are extracellular nanovesicles primarily involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases including cancer. This study was set out from recent evidence that extracellular acidity may increase the exosome release by cancer cells. However, this preliminary evidence did not provide solid information on whether the pH-dependent exosome over-release represents a common feature of all cancers.

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Several evidences emphasize B-cell pathogenic roles in multiple sclerosis (MS). We performed transcriptome analyses on peripheral B cells from therapy-free patients and age/sex-matched controls. Down-regulation of two transcripts (interferon response factor 1-IRF1, and C-X-C motif chemokine 10-CXCL10), belonging to the same pathway, was validated by RT-PCR in 26 patients and 21 controls.

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