DE PETRO GIUSEPPINA


Responsabile dell'U.O.

Cognome e Nome

DE PETRO GIUSEPPINA

Qualifica

PO

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Settore scientifico disciplinare

BIOLOGIA APPLICATA BIO/13

E-mail

giuseppina.depetro@unibs.it

Telefono

3457229513

Personale strutturato

Cognome e Nome

Salvi Alessandro

Qualifica

PA

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Cognome e Nome

Schiavone Marco

Qualifica

PA

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Cognome e Nome

Piovani Giovanna

Qualifica

Ricercatore

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Personale non strutturato

Cognome e Nome

Grossi Ilaria

Qualifica

Assegnista

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Cognome e Nome

Ferraro Rosalba

Qualifica

Assegnista

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Cognome e Nome

Cannone Elena

Qualifica

Ph.D student

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Cognome e Nome

Pelisenko Iulia Andreea

Qualifica

Ph.D student

Dipartimento

Dept of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT)

Ente di appartenenza

Università di Brescia

Linee di ricerca

The scientific activity of the Research Unit (RU) is focused on cellular and molecular studies to understand the molecular basis of given human diseases with the aim to develop biomarkers with prognostic or diagnostic value and to design innovative therapies in this era of precision medicine. Prof. De Petro and Prof. Salvi are studying epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation mediated by DNA methylation and by non coding RNAs (microRNAs and Long-ncRNAs) in human solid tumors, Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and Breast Cancer. The research lines are: - Development of an innovative methylation specific-droplet digital PCR (MS-ddPCR) assay to quantify the methylation of two tumour suppressor genes (SEPT9 and SHOX2) using circulating cell-free DNA from plasma of patients with HNSCC with the aim to quickly detect possible cancer recurrence. -Multicentric study for the validation of microRNA-23b-3p, -193a3p,-126a-3p, of lncRNA TERRA and TERC and of TERTmRNA as tissutal and/or ciculating biomarkers of HCC with prognostic or diagnostic value by innovative ddPCR determinations of the transcript expression; the data will allow the molecular stratification of HCC patients. - Development of Extracellular Vesicles (EV) enriched of tumour suppressor ncRNAs (lncRNAs and miRs) for an innovative therapy of breast cancer that will be tested on breast cancer xenograft in zebrafish. Prof. Schiavone is pursuing these research lines: -Identification of new druggable targets for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) using zebrafish models and patient cells. - Towards a new effective therapy for myopathies based on different cocktails with mitochondrial PTP inhibitors (zebrafish models, mouse models and patient cells). -Dissecting mechanisms involved in the early stages of both DMD and Myofibrillar Myopathies (zebrafish models and patient biopsies). - Functional study of different genes in zebrafish development. Dr. Piovani is focused on the cellular and molecular basis of developmental disorders, on chromosal syndromes. She is pursuing the -study of patient-specific iPSC from subjects with Cri-du Chat syndrome, characterized by a deletion in the arm p of chromosome 5, to deeply understand the molecular basis of this syndrome.

Tecnologie in uso dall'UO

  1. 1.
    We have applied the ddPCR to quantify methylated DNA and the expression levels of transcripts, mRNAs, microRNAs and Long ncRNAs: -We have developed an innovative methylation specific-droplet digital PCR (MS-ddPCR) assay to determine the absolute amount of circulating cell free DNA of some tumour suppressor genes in plasma of cancer patients. -We have developed specific ddPCR assay to determine the absolute quantification of expression variation of circulating / extracellular ncRNAs in cancer cell lines and in their EVs and in plasma of cancer patients. We have used qPCR array to study differentpanels of ncRNAs in cancer cell lines treated with anticancer drugs.
  2. 2.
    For DNA methylation studies we have used the Me-Dip-chip technology, the methylated DNA immunoprecipitation coupled with Affymetrix Human Promoter 1.0R Tiling Arrays. For the validation of DNA-Methylation data we have used COBRA assay and direct bisulfite sequencing . For the study of methylation CpG sites associated with miRs we have developd innovative methylation specific PCR (MSP) assay.
  3. 3.
    The zebrafish model is mainly used for functional study of genes, for the identification of new druggable targets of given diseases, to test the therapeutic effects of novel molecules and of EV enriched of ncRNAs on various diseases, genetic diseases and cancer diseases.
  4. 4.
    The iPSC technology is used to generate patient-specific iPSCs from subjects affected by crhomosomal syndromes and to study the induced differentiated cells, mainly neurons.

Strumentazione

Denominazione

Droplet Digital PCR Droplet (QX200, Bio-Rad)
5 thermocyclers
Affymetrix GeneChip platform
For NGS studies Ion GeneStudio S5 platform (Thermofisher)
Zebrafish Facility hosts almost 1500 animals

Struttura ove la strumentazione è allocata

(DMMT), Division of Biology and Genetics
(DMMT), Division of Biology and Genetics
(DMMT), Division of Biology and Genetics
(DMMT), Division of Biology and Genetics
(DMMT)

Responsabile

Prof. Alessandro Salvi
Prof. Marina Colombi
Prof. Marina Colombi
Prof. Massimo Gennarelli
Proff. Marco Schiavone; Marco Presta

Pubblicazioni

  1. 1.
    Lasp1 Expression Is Implicated in Embryonic Development of Zebrafish. Grossi I, Schiavone M, Cannone E, Grejdan OA, Tobia C, Bonomini F, Rezzani R, Salvi A, De Petro G. Genes (Basel). 2022 Dec 22;14(1):35. doi: 10.3390/genes14010035. PMID: 36672776
  2. 2.
    Expression of Cellular and Extracellular TERRA, TERC and TERT in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Manganelli M, Grossi I, Corsi J, D'Agostino VG, Jurikova K, Cusanelli E, Molfino S, Portolani N, Salvi A, De Petro G.Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 31;23(11):6183. doi: 10.3390/ijms23116183.PMID: 35682861
  3. 3.
    Longitudinal Circulating Levels of miR-23b-3p, miR-126-3p and lncRNA GAS5 in HCC Patients Treated with Sorafenib. Manganelli M, Grossi I, Ferracin M, Guerriero P, Negrini M, Ghidini M, Senti C, Ratti M, Pizzo C, Passalacqua R, Molfino S, Baiocchi G, Portolani N, Marchina E, De Petro G, Salvi A. Biomedicines. 2021 Jul 13;9(7):813. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9070813.PMID: 34356875
  4. 4.
    DNA methylation variations in familial female and male breast cancer. Abeni E, Grossi I, Marchina E, Coniglio A, Incardona P, Cavalli P, Zorzi F, Chiodera PL, Paties CT, Crosatti M, De Petro G, Salvi A. Oncol Lett. 2021 Jun;21(6):468. doi: 10.3892/ol.2021.12729. Epub 2021 Apr 12. PMID: 33907578
  5. 5.
    MicroRNA‑34a‑5p expression in the plasma and in its extracellular vesicle fractions in subjects with Parkinson's disease: An exploratory study. Grossi I, Radeghieri A, Paolini L, Porrini V, Pilotto A, Padovani A, Marengoni A, Barbon A, Bellucci A, Pizzi M, Salvi A, De Petro G. Int J Mol Med. 2021 Feb;47(2):533-546. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4806. PMID: 33416118
  6. 6.
    Differential expression profiling of long non-coding RNA GAS5 and miR-126-3p in human cancer cells in response to sorafenib. Faranda T, Grossi I, Manganelli M, Marchina E, Baiocchi G, Portolani N, Crosatti M, De Petro G, Salvi A. Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 24;9(1):9118. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45604-2. PMID: 31235746
  7. 7.
    Sorafenib induces variations of the DNA methylome in HA22T/VGH human hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cells. Abeni E, Salvi A, Marchina E, Traversa M, Arici B, De Petro G.Int J Oncol. 2017 Jul;51(1):128-144. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2017.4019. PMID: 28560380
  8. 8.
    Analysis of a nanoparticle‑enriched fraction of plasma reveals miRNA candidates for Down syndrome pathogenesis. Salvi A, Vezzoli M, Busatto S, Paolini L, Faranda T, Abeni E, Caracausi M, Antonaros F, Piovesan A, Locatelli C, Cocchi G, Alvisi G, De Petro G, Ricotta D, Bergese P, Radeghieri A. Int J Mol Med. 2019 Jun;43(6):2303-2318. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4158. Epub 2019 Apr 9.PMID: 31017260
  9. 9.
    Treatment with a triazole inhibitor of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore fully corrects the pathology of sapje zebrafish lacking dystrophin Stocco, A. , Smolina, N., Sabatelli, P.,Schiavone, M., Bernardi, P.Pharmacological Research, 2021, 165, 105421
  10. 10.
    Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patient with Cri du Chat Syndrome.Piovani G, Lanzi G, Ferraro RM, Masneri S, Barisani C, Savio G, Giliani SC.Stem Cell Res. 2019 Mar;35:101393. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2019.101393 PMID: 30711802

Dottorati di ricerca

Componente UO

De Petro Giuseppina
Salvi Alessandro
Schiavone Marco
Piovani Giovanna

Dottorato di ricerca

Gen. Molecolare, Biotec. e Med. sper.
Precision Medicine
Precision Medicine
Genetica Molecolare, Biotecnologie e Medicina sperimentale

Coordinatore

Prof.Eugenio Monti
Prof. Marco Presta
Prof. Marco Presta
Prof.Eugenio Monti

Sede

DMMT
DMMT
DMMT
DMMT