p53 rapidly restructures 3D chromatin organization to trigger a transcriptional response.

Activation of the p53 tumor suppressor triggers a transcriptional program to control cellular response to stress. However, the molecular mechanisms by which p53 controls gene transcription are not completely understood. Here, we uncover the critical role of spatio-temporal genome architecture in this process.

NR5A2/LRH-1 regulates the PTGS2-PGE-PTGER1 pathway contributing to pancreatic islet survival and function.

LRH-1/NR5A2 is implicated in islet morphogenesis postnatally, and its activation using the agonist BL001 protects islets against apoptosis, reverting hyperglycemia in mouse models of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Islet transcriptome profiling revealed that the expression of PTGS2/COX2 is increased by BL001. Herein, we sought to define the role of LRH-1 in postnatal islet morphogenesis and chart the BL001 mode of action conferring beta cell protection.

Exploring the Implication of DDX3X in DENV Infection: Discovery of the First-in-Class DDX3X Fluorescent Inhibitor.

In the absence of effective drugs or vaccines for the treatment of the five Dengue Virus serotypes, the search for novel antiviral drugs is of primary importance for the scientific community. In this context, drug repurposing represents the most used strategy; however, the study of host targets is now attracting attention since it allows identification of broad-spectrum drugs endowed with high genetic barrier. In the last ten years our research group identified several small molecules DDX3X inhibitors and proved their efficacy against different viruses including novel emerging ones.