Salvatore Scarà

Publications (2)1.09 Total impact

• Article: Mitochondrial proteomic approaches for new potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer.

  Patrizia Bottoni, Bruno Giardina, Alessandro Pontoglio, Salvatore Scarà, Roberto Scatena
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  ABSTRACT: Mitochondrial dysfunction and mutations in mitochondrial DNA have been implicated in a wide variety of human diseases, including cancer. In recent years, considerable advances in genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic technologies have made it possible the analysis of mitochondrial proteome, leading to the identification of over 1,000 proteins which have been assigned unambiguously to mitochondria. Defining the mitochondrial proteome is a fundamental step for fully understanding the organelle functions as well as mechanisms underlying mitochondrial pathology. In fact, besides giving information on mitochondrial physiology, by characterizing all the components of this subcellular organelle, the application of proteomic technologies permitted now to study the proteins involved in many crucial properties in cell signaling, cell differentiation and cell death and, in particular, to identify mitochondrial proteins that are aberrantly expressed in cancer cells. An improved understanding of the mitochondrial proteome could be essential to shed light on the connection between mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulation of apoptosis and tumorigenesis and to discovery new therapeutic targets for mitochondria-related diseases.
  Advances in experimental medicine and biology 01/2012; 942:423-40. · 1.09 Impact Factor
• Chapter: Cancer Stem Cells: An Innovative Therapeutic Approach

  Roberto Scatena, Patrizia Bottoni, Alessandro Pontoglio, Salvatore Scarà, Bruno Giardina
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  ABSTRACT: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are gaining prominence in oncology. The characterization of the molecular phenotype of CSCs or “cancer cell-like stem cells” can clarify several intriguing and obscure aspects of cancer pathophysiology (e.g., cancer cell dormancy, chemoresistance, and metastasis) and could represent a fundamental advance in terms of early diagnosis and selective therapy for cancer. Moreover, understanding the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of CSCs can expand the therapeutic applications of normal adult stem cells by reducing the risk of disordered uncontrolled and potentially tumorigenic stem cell differentiation. An explosion of emerging therapeutic and diagnostic options for cancer treatment that selectively target CSCs has occurred in recent years. These include the targeting of cell surface proteins, various activated signaling pathways, different molecules of the stem cell niche, and various drug resistance mechanisms. Importantly, approaching cancer research by investigating the pathogenesis of these intriguing cancer cells is increasing the knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease, emphasizing certain concepts and molecular mechanisms that have been partially neglected and facilitating the understanding of a global vision of complex cancer cell biology.
  10/2011: pages 239-266;