Publications by authors named "Velia de Nardis"

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss and disability. Effective management of DR depends on prompt treatment and would benefit from biomarkers for screening and pre-symptomatic detection of retinopathy in diabetic patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression which are released in the bloodstream and may serve as biomarkers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the effects of low- and high-dose rosuvastatin on the expression of two important proteins, ABCA1 and ABCG1, which help reduce cholesterol in atherosclerotic plaques in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis.
  • Results showed that both doses of rosuvastatin led to lower levels of ABCA1 mRNA, but unexpectedly, high-dose treatment increased ABCA1 protein levels while having no significant effect on ABCG1 protein.
  • The findings suggest that high-dose rosuvastatin might enhance ABCA1 protein in a way that is independent of changes in cholesterol levels, possibly involving regulation by the microRNA miR-33b-5
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One of the causes of permanent disability in chronic multiple sclerosis patients is the inability of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to terminate their maturation program at lesions. To identify key regulators of myelin gene expression acting at the last stages of OPC maturation we developed a drug repositioning strategy based on the mouse immortalized oligodendrocyte (OL) cell line Oli-neu brought to the premyelination stage by stably expressing a key factor regulating the last stages of OL maturation. The Prestwick Chemical Library of 1,200 FDA-approved compound(s) was repositioned at three dosages based on the induction of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) expression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNAs whose deregulation has been shown in several human diseases, including pain states and diseases associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. This study aimed at identifying differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in patients with 'migraine without aura' (MO), a pain condition whose link with CV risk remains debated.

Methods: Fifteen female MO patients and 13 matching healthy controls underwent a circulating microRNA expression profiling.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Context: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by inadequate β-cell response to the progressive insulin resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, noncoding RNAs representing a class of powerful gene expression modulators. Previous population studies observed a modulation of circulating miRNAs in diabetic patients; however, few data are presently available on miRNA modulation in diabetic patients naïve to pharmacological treatment as well as the effect of glycemic control on this.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, non-coding, short, single-stranded RNAs and represent a new class of gene regulators. Recent evidence supports a role for miRNAs in cardiovascular pathophysiology and atherosclerosis development. We have previously demonstrated that miR-145 is widely expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions and its downregulation has been correlated with vascular smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation, a cardinal step in the development of atherosclerosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF