Search results for "Laboratori"
showing 10 items of 390 documents
Messing Up the Cancer Stem Cell Chemoresistance Mechanisms Supported by Tumor Microenvironment
2021
Despite the recent advances in cancer patient management and in the development of targeted therapies, systemic chemotherapy is currently used as a first-line treatment for many cancer types. After an initial partial response, patients become refractory to standard therapy fostering rapid tumor progression. Compelling evidence highlights that the resistance to chemotherapeutic regimens is a peculiarity of a subpopulation of cancer cells within tumor mass, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). This cellular compartment is endowed with tumor-initiating and metastasis formation capabilities. CSC chemoresistance is sustained by a plethora of grow factors and cytokines released by neighboring tumor…
Intragenic G-quadruplex structure formed in the human CD133 and its biological and translational relevance.
2016
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in several solid malignancies and are now emerging as a plausible target for drug discovery. Beside the questionable existence of CSCs specific markers, the expression of CD133 was reported to be responsible for conferring CSC aggressiveness. Here, we identified two G-rich sequences localized within the introns 3 and 7 of the CD133 gene able to form G-quadruplex (G4) structures, bound and stabilized by small molecules. We further showed that treatment of patient-derived colon CSCs with G4-interacting agents triggers alternative splicing that dramatically impairs the expression of CD133. Interestingly, this is strongly associated with a loss of C…
Metabolic Escape Routes of Cancer Stem Cells and Therapeutic Opportunities
2020
Although improvement in early diagnosis and treatment ameliorated life expectancy of cancer patients, metastatic disease still lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Resistance to anticancer therapies stems from the refractoriness of a subpopulation of cancer cells—termed cancer stem cells (CSCs)—which is endowed with tumor initiation and metastasis formation potential. CSCs are heterogeneous and diverge by phenotypic, functional and metabolic perspectives. Intrinsic as well as extrinsic stimuli dictated by the tumor microenvironment (TME)have critical roles in determining cell metabolic reprogramming from glycolytic toward an oxidative phenotype and vice versa, allowing cancer cells to th…
Dual Inhibition of Myc Transcription and PI3K Activity Effectively Targets Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells
2022
Despite advances in the curative approach, the survival rate of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is still poor, which is likely due to the emergence of cancer cell clones resistant to the available therapeutic options. We have already shown that CD44v6-positive CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) are refractory toward standard anti-tumor therapeutic agents due to the activation of the PI3K pathway together with high HER2 expression levels. Tumor microenvironmental cytokines confer resistance to CR-CSCs against HER2/PI3K targeting by enhancing activation of the MAPK pathway. Here, we show that the CSC compartment, spared by BRAF inhibitor-based targeted therapy, is associated with increased ex…
Dissecting the Mechanism of Action of Spiperone—A Candidate for Drug Repurposing for Colorectal Cancer
2022
Approximately 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients still die from recurrence and metastatic disease, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Drug repurposing is attracting increasing attention because, compared to traditional de novo drug discovery processes, it may reduce drug development periods and costs. Epidemiological and preclinical evidence support the antitumor activity of antipsychotic drugs. Herein, we dissect the mechanism of action of the typical antipsychotic spiperone in CRC. Spiperone can reduce the clonogenic potential of stem-like CRC cells (CRC-SCs) and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in both differentiated and CRC-SCs, at clinically relevant co…
Targeting of the Peritumoral Adipose Tissue Microenvironment as an Innovative Antitumor Therapeutic Strategy
2022
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in promoting and sustaining cancer growth. Adipose tissue (AT), due to its anatomical distribution, is a prevalent component of TME, and contributes to cancer development and progression. Cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs), reprogrammed by cancer stem cells (CSCs), drive cancer progression by releasing metabolites and inflammatory adipokines. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms underlying the bidirectional crosstalk among CAAs, CSCs, and stromal cells. Moreover, we focus on the recent advances in the therapeutic targeting of adipocyte-released factors as an innovative strategy to counteract cancer progression.
A homemade device for linear sucrose gradients
2008
We have developed a simple and inexpensive device to obtain linear sucrose gradients with commonly used laboratory materials--a syringe, a flask, a plastic tube, and a piece of Pongo (Play-Doh). Refractive index values measured on sucrose fractions collected using our system demonstrate both the linearity and reliability of the gradients obtained.
Phenazine antibiotics produced by fluorescent pseudomonads contribute to natural soil suppressiveness to Fusarium wilt
2009
Natural disease-suppressive soils provide an untapped resource for the discovery of novel beneficial microorganisms and traits. For most suppressive soils, however, the consortia of microorganisms and mechanisms involved in pathogen control are unknown. To date, soil suppressiveness to Fusarium wilt disease has been ascribed to carbon and iron competition between pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum and resident non-pathogenic F. oxysporum and fluorescent pseudomonads. In this study, the role of bacterial antibiosis in Fusarium wilt suppressiveness was assessed by comparing the densities, diversity and activity of fluorescent Pseudomonas species producing 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) (phlD+) …
Infrastrutture e paesaggio nella "città in estensione"
2017
L’esperienza didattica e di ricerca presentata nel saggio prende le mosse dall’attivazione di un laboratorio di laurea magistrale in Progettazione Architettonica diretto dal prof. Palazzotto e sviluppato nell’ambito del corso di laurea in Architettura dell’omonimo Dipartimento presso l’Università degli Studi di Palermo. Il laboratorio ha visto la partecipazione complessiva di 11 laureandi, che hanno esitato le proprie tesi negli anni compresi tra il 2013 e il 2015. Il laboratorio di laurea, facendo propria l’idea di “città-campagna” avanzata da Giuseppe Samonà nel 1976 – che porta con sé un esplicito riferimento a identità formali e spaziali specifiche intese a conferire allʼambito della ca…
Pentiti. I Collaboratori di giustizia, le Istituzioni, l'opinione pubblica
2006
Perché i pentiti si pentono? E cosa pensano i siciliani dei pentiti? Queste due domande, apparentemente assai diverse, hanno invece una stretta correlazione tra loro. In un contesto in cui le strategie comunicative delle principali organizzazioni malavitose sono orientate a ridurre al minimo il valore dello scambio verbale, enfatizzando le potenzialità simboliche dei gesti, degli sguardi, del non-detto, è da sempre considerata cruciale la scelta del silenzio. Così come la violazione della regola che lo impone sta a significare un malessere, una frattura che inevitabilmente incide sulla vita dell’intera organizzazione. Il volume curato da Alessandra Dino guarda al fenomeno del pentitismo in …