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59
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1,397
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Citations since 2017
Introduction
Additional affiliations
October 2013 - February 2015
October 2012 - November 2012
Education
October 2013 - February 2015
September 2010 - September 2013
October 2004 - July 2009
Publications
Publications (59)
Age-related changes in the immune system are thought to underlie the vulnerability of elderly individuals to emerging viral diseases, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study, we used a fully validated in vitro approach to determine how age impacts the generation of de novo CD8+ T cell responses against severe acute respiratory sy...
Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have been proposed to improve vaccine responses, especially in the elderly. Accordingly, testing mTOR inhibitors (such as Sirolimus) and other geroprotective drugs might be considered a key strategy to improve overall health resilience of aged populations. In this respect, Sirolimus (also known...
A current trend of research in the health field is toward the discovery of multifunctional compounds, capable of interacting with multiple biological targets, thus simplifying multidrug therapies and improving patient compliance. The aim of this work was to synthesize new multifunctional chemical entities bearing a benzothiazole nucleus, a structur...
Uncontrolled inflammatory response arising from the tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly contributes to cancer progression, prompting an investigation and careful evaluation of counter-regulatory mechanisms. We identified a trimeric complex at the mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs), in which the purinergic P2X7 receptor - NLRP3 inflamma...
The increasing life expectancy leads to more older adults suffering from infectious diseases. Vaccines are available against diverse infections such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster and tetanus. However, vaccine acceptance is crucial for optimal preventive effect. The objective of the study is to perform a cross-country analysis of...
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significance of vaccination for older adults (OA), however, more health benefits could be gained with vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster and tetanus as their uptake remains rather low. As healthcare professionals (HCP) play an important role in the vaccination decision...
The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‑CoV‑2), responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) has posed a major challenge for global health. In order to successfully combat SARS‑CoV‑2, the development of effective COVID‑19 vaccines is crucial. In this context, recent studies have highlighted a high COVID...
Adult vaccination programs are receiving increasing attention however, little is known regarding the impact of age on the maintenance of the immune response. We investigated this issue in the context of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program collecting real-world data on the durability of humoral immunity in 315 female subjects stratified...
Background
Advanced age is accompanied by a decline of immune functions, which may play a role in increased vulnerability to emerging pathogens and low efficacy of primary vaccinations in elderly people. The capacity to mount immune responses against new antigens is particularly affected in this population. However, its precise determinants are not...
Aging is associated with functional deficits in the naive T cell compartment, which compromise the generation of de novo immune responses against previously unencountered Ags. The mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon have nonetheless remained unclear. We found that naive CD8+ T cells in elderly humans were prone to apoptosis and proliferated su...
People living with HIV, even under therapy, have a high burden of age-related co-morbidities including an increased risk of dyslipidemia (which often predisposes to cardiovascular diseases) and immune-aging. In this study, lipid profiles and antibody responses to measles and pertussis toxin vaccines were compared between ART experienced HIV+ childr...
Advanced age is associated with severe symptoms and death upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Virus-specific CD8 ⁺ T-cell responses have shown to be protective toward critical COVID-19 manifestations, suggesting that suboptimal cellular immunity may contribute to the age-pattern of the disease. The induction of a CD8 ⁺ T-cell response against an emerging pa...
Peptide vaccines incorporating B- and T-cell epitopes have shown promise in the context of various cancers and infections. These vaccines are relatively simple to manufacture, but more immunogenic formulations are considered a priority. We developed tetrabranched derivatives for this purpose based on a novel peptide welding technology (PWT). PWTs p...
In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this
topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base
and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular
basis updated guidelines for monit...
In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this
topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base
and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular
basis updated guidelines for monit...
the PDF can be download freely on pubmed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33634751/
In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monit...
In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monit...
Background
Aging is associated with functional deficits in the naive T cell compartment, which compromise the generation of de novo immune responses against previously unencountered antigens. The mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon have nonetheless remained unclear.
Methods
Biochemical and functional properties of naive CD8 ⁺ T cells were cha...
Human IgA could be from different isotypes (IgA1/IgA2) and/or isoforms (monomeric, dimeric or secretory). Monomeric IgA mainly IgA1 are considered as an anti‐inflammatory isotype whereas dimeric/secretory IgA have clearly dual pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory effects. Here, we show that IgA isotypes and isoforms display different binding abilities to Fcα...
On behalf of all members of work package 4 from the VITAL project
Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonists have gained traction in recent years as potential adjuvants for the induction of adaptive immune responses. It has nonetheless remained unclear to what extent such ligands can facilitate the priming events that generate antigen-specific effector and/or memory CD8+ T-cell populations. We used an established in vi...
The development of therapeutic strategies to control the reactivation of the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is an unaddressed priority. In this study, we evaluated whether Tat, a HIV-1 protein displaying adjuvant functions, could improve previously established HSV-specific memory responses and prevent viral reactivation. To this aim, mice were infected...
Skin cancer is the most common malignant cancer with an incidence of 1 million cases/year. It is well known that exposure to UV radiation from sunlight leads the most frequent risk factors for several skin disorders including skin cancer. Sunscreen filters represent a valid protection against dangerous effects derived from UV radiation, and they ca...
: Human papillomavirus (HPV) persistent infections are associated with cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases and tumors. Thus, the characterization of long lasting immunity to currently available HPV vaccines is important. A total of 149 female subjects vaccinated with Cervarix or Gardasil participated to the study and they were stratified...
The incidence of skin cancer is increasing both because of climate change and the increase in pollution than people's incorrect habits of sun exposure. In these regards, sunscreen and photoprotection are essential tools in consenting the benefits induced by safe solar light exposition and skin cancer prevention. In this work, a new class of sunscre...
Chronic HCV infection is characterized by several immunological alterations, such as the accumulation of suppressor cells and of hyperactivated T lymphocytes. However, it is unclear whether direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-mediated HCV clearance restores immune dysfunctions. We performed a phenotypic characterization by flow cytometry of different imm...
Proteasome activity affects cell cycle progression as well as the immune response, and it is largely recognized as an attractive pharmacological target for potential therapies against several diseases. Herein we present the synthesis of a series of pseudodi/tripeptides bearing at the C-terminal position different α-ketoamide moieties as pharmacopho...
Pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) agonists are currently being developed and tested as adjuvants in various formulations to optimize the immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines. Using an original in vitro approach to prime naive precursors from unfractionated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we assessed the influence of cyclic guanosine...
Background: Characterization of the intracellular biochemical processes that regulate the generation and maintenance of effector and memory CD8⁺ T-cells from naïve precursors is essential for our understanding of adaptive immune responses and the development of immunotherapies. However, the metabolic determinants of antigen-driven activation and di...
Cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells are key players of the immune responses against viruses. During the priming of a CD8+ T-cell response, the activation of a naïve T-cell by a professional antigen presenting cell (APC) involves the induction of various intracellular and metabolic pathways. The modulation of these pathways at the level of APCs or T-cells offers...
Background:
Donation of returned medicines is a debated health policy issue as it is discouraged by WHO, but accepted in some countries.
Methods:
Lessons learned from a donation programme of returned medicines carried out in Europe were documented.
Results:
The donation programme we reviewed followed a strict protocol for collection, sorting a...
Objective:
HIV infection is characterized by several immune dysfunctions, such as chronic activation of the immune system, premature ageing and loss of CD4 T cell, in particular within the naïve compartment. The Tat protein of HIV is released extracellularly and enters neighboring cells affecting their functionality, for instance impacting on CD8...
TLR agonists are currently being developed and tested as adjuvants in various formulations to optimize the immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunostimulatory properties of a novel compound incorporating covalently linked moieties designed to stimulate both TLR2 and TLR7. This dual TLR2/TLR7 agonist...
Despite the fundamental role of vaccines in the decline of infant mortality, parents may decide to decline vaccination for their own children. Many factors may influence this decision, such as the belief that the infant immune system is weakened by vaccines, and concerns have been raised about the number of vaccines and the early age at which they...
Background:
The presence of IgG and IgM against Tat, an HIV protein important for viral replication and immune dysfunction, is associated with slow disease progression in clade B HIV-infected individuals. However, although Tat activities strictly depend on the viral clade, our knowledge about the importance of anti-Tat antibodies in non-clade B HI...
Mucosal HSV infection remains a public health issue in developing and developed world. However, an effective vaccine is still missing, partly because of the incomplete knowledge of correlates of protection. In this study we have investigated the kinetics and quality of immunity elicited by an attenuated HSV1 vector expressing the immunomodulatory T...
Chronic infection perturbs immune homeostasis. While prior studies have reported dysregulation of effector and memory cells, little is known about the effects on naïve T cell populations. We performed a cross-sectional study of chronic hepatitis C (cHCV) patients using tetramer-associated magnetic enrichment to study antigen-specific inexperienced...
The use of the Tat protein of HIV in vaccines against AIDS showed promising results in primate and human studies. To characterize the impact of the administration route on the induction of humoral responses at systemic and mucosal levels, we compared intradermal, intramuscular and mucosal immunizations with Tat and a Tat-derived peptide. Mice were...
Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2) are common infectious agents in both industrialized and developing countries. They cause recurrent asymptomatic and/or symptomatic infections, and life-threatening diseases and death in newborns and immunocompromised patients. Current treatment for HSV relies on antiviral medications, which can hal...
Objective:
HIV infection is characterized by several immune dysfunctions of both CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells as hyperactivation, impairment of functionality and expansion of memory T cells. CD8⁺ T-cell dysfunctions have been associated with increased expression of T-bet, Eomesdermin and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and with down-regulation of CD127. The...
T cells are functionally compromised during HIV infection despite their increased activation and proliferation. Although T cell hyperactivation is one of the best predictive markers for disease progression, its causes are poorly understood. Anti-tat natural immunity as well as anti-tat antibodies induced by Tat immunization protect from progression...
Tat is a regulatory protein produced very early after HIV infection, necessary for viral gene expression, cell-to-cell virus transmission and disease progression. Tat can be released extracellularly and, upon release, enter uninfected T cells displaying several functions, only partially characterized. A large number of studies show an immunomodulat...
Questions
Questions (6)
Dear all, I need to characterize TAM using CD206 ad M2 marker. In the website of biolegend and thermofisher, they suggest to stain for it after permeabilization. However, many colleagues working on macrophages since years say they have always done just a surface staining. In the literature too, I often find just surface staining. Do you have explanation/know what could be the difference? Thanks in advance
Is there any specific protocol to compare, between 2 groups of patients, if their naive CD4+ T cells are more likely to differentiate (after activation with anti-CD3) into a particular subset (for instance, CD4 from #1 are more likely to differentiate into Treg and CD4 from #2 are more likely to differentiate into Th2 cells)?
I would like to do it in an unbiased way (so avoiding to force the differentiation into a particular subset through the use of specific cytokines)
Thanks
In my experience it worked quite well in mice. Now that I want to see it in humans, it seems that all literature uses an antibody developed by a professor from Freiburg (Germany), and the commercial available one do not seem to work.
Projects
Project (1)
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines/special_issues/SARS_Vaccine
A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccination".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2022.
Special Issue Editors
Prof. Dr. Antonella Caputo
Dr. Francesco Nicoli
The quest for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 has mobilized a multitude of researchers worldwide that combined their expertise and effort for the rapid development of effective products. In this special issues, we want to highlight:
the vaccine platforms already available before the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been quickly scaled-up to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2
aspects related to the immunogenicity, safety and efficacy of licensed vaccines, including the durability of immune responses and the protection against variants
new generations of vaccines/new vaccine candidates against COVID-19
strategies to improve the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination
vaccination strategies for particular populations (e.g. children, the elderly, fragile subjects)
immunological correlate of protection
Original research articles and short communications on pre-clinical and clinical studies are welcome, as well as reviews and commentaries.