Publications – FLAMIN-GO

2025

Stolfi F, Brasso C, Raineri D, Landra V, Mazzucca CB, Ghazanfar A, Scotti L, Sinella R, Villari V, Cappellano G, Rocca P, Chiocchetti A. Deep immunophenotyping of circulating immune cells in major depressive disorder patients reveals immune correlates of clinical course and treatment response.
Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Dec 30;43:100942. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100942.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a widespread psychiatric condition impacting social and occupational functioning, making it a leading cause of disability. The diagnosis of MDD remains clinical, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 criteria, as biomarkers have not yet been validated for diagnostic purposes or as predictors of treatment response. Traditional treatment strategies often follow a one-size-fits-all approach obtaining suboptimal outcomes for many patients who fail to experience response or recovery. Several studies have reported an association between MDD and immune system dysregulation, but few have focused on the deep characterization of circulating cells, during the acute phase of MDD. This work aimed at immunophenotyping peripheral blood cells in the relapse phase of the disorder, to identify relevant cell populations for clinical monitoring of patients. Multiparametric analysis was performed on the peripheral blood of 60 MDD patients using flow cytometry to identify lymphocytes (naïve/effector, memory, regulatory) and myeloid cells (dendritic cells, monocytes).
Emine Kahraman, Daniela Vasconcelos, Beatriz Ribeiro, Ana Carolina Monteiro, Enzo Mastromatteo, Andrea Bortolin, Marina Couto, Laura Boschis, Meriem Lamghari, Estrela Neto. Deciphering cartilage neuro-immune interactions and innervation profile through 3D engineered osteoarthritic micropathophysiological system
Materials Today Bio, Volume 31, 2025, 101491, ISSN 2590-0064, doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101491

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder that results in cartilage breakdown and alterations in the surrounding tissue microenvironment. Imbalances caused by inflammation and catabolic processes potentiate pathological nerves and blood vessels outgrowth toward damaged areas leading to pain in the patients. Yet, the precise mechanisms leading the nerve sprouting into the aneural cartilaginous tissue remain elusive. In this work, we aim to recapitulate in vitro the hallmarks of OA pathophysiology, including the sensory innervation profile, and provide a sensitive and reliable analytical tool to monitor the in vitro disease progression at microscale. Leveraging the use of patient-derived cells and bioengineering cutting-edge technologies, we engineered cartilage-like microtissues composed of primary human chondrocytes encapsulated in gelatin methacrylate hydrogel. Engineered constructs patterned inside microfluidic devices show the expression of cartilage markers, namely collagen type II, aggrecan, SOX-9 and glycosaminoglycans. Upon pro-inflammatory triggering, using primary human pro-inflammatory macrophage secretome, hallmarks of OA are recapitulated namely catabolic processes of human chondrocytes and the sensory innervation profile, supported by gene expression and functional assays. To monitor the OA micropathological system, a highly sensitive technology – EliChip™ – is presented to quantitively assess the molecular signature of cytokines and growth factors (interleukin 6 and nerve growth factor) produced from a single microfluidic chip. Herein, we report a miniaturized pathophysiological model and analytical tool to foster the neuro-immune interactions playing a role in cartilage-related disorders.

2024

Bucciarelli A, Selicato N, Coricciati C, Rainer A, Capodilupo AL, Gigli G, Moroni L, Polini A, Gervaso F. Modelling methacrylated chitosan hydrogel properties through an experimental design approach: from composition to material properties
J Mater Chem B. 2024 Oct 17;12(40):10221-10240. doi: 10.1039/d4tb00670d

We studied the properties of CsMA solutions and the derived hydrogels using a statistical method, namely, response surface method, which allowed us to build empirical models describing material properties in terms of several selected processing factors. In particular, we studied the viscosity of CsMA solutions as a function of CsMA concentration, temperature, and shear rate, while hydrogel compression modulus, morphology, degradation and solubilization were investigated as a function of CsMA concentration, photoinitiator concentration and UV exposure. CsMA solutions resulted in shear thinning and were thus suitable for extrusion-based 3D printing. The CsMA hydrogel was found to be highly tunable, with a stiffness in the 12–64 kPa range, and was stable over a long timeframe (up to 60 days). Finally, the possibility to engineer hydrogel stiffness through an empirical model allowed us to hypothesize a number of possible applications based on the mechanical properties of several biological tissues reported in the literature.
A. Stanzione, A. Polini, F. Scalera, G. Gigli, L. Moroni, F. Gervaso, Photo/thermo-sensitive chitosan and gelatin-based interpenetrating polymer network for mimicking muscle tissue extracellular matrix
Heliyon,Volume 10, Issue 21,2024,e39820,ISSN 2405-8440, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39820

The dynamic interplay between extracellular matrix (ECM), its 3D architecture and resident cells plays a pivotal role in cell behavior influencing essential processes like proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Matrix-based 3D culture systems have emerged as valuable tools to model organ and tissue interactions in vitro. A 3D matrix analog must possess high biocompatibility and fully reproduce the characteristics of the native tissue in terms of mechanical properties. In this regard, interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) are particularly attractive because of the high tunability of their physicochemical properties. In this study, a chitosan (Ch) and modified gelatin (GelMA) IPN with a sol-gel transition triggered by two external physical stimuli, UV light and temperature, was designed to mimic the muscle tissue ECM in terms of mechanical stiffness. The system was deeply characterized demonstrating to support not only the growth and viability of muscle cells embedded within the hydrogel, but also cell differentiation toward muscle phenotype.
F. Bisconti , B. Vilardo , G. Corallo , F. Scalera , G. Gigli , A. Chiocchetti , A. Polini and F. Gervaso An Assist for Arthritis Studies: A 3D Cell Culture of Human Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes by Encapsulation in a Chitosan-Based Hydrogel
Adv. Ther., 2024, doi: 10.1002/adtp.202400166

Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the most common arthritis in which the synovium is involved, but the cellular and molecular basis of these pathologies still need better elucidation. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), one of the cellular elements of the synovium, play a key role in RA, an autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and systemic symptoms that afflicts 1% of worldwide population. Despite articular damage starts from synovium and then proceeds involving cartilage till bone erosion, several 3D in vitro models are reported for cartilage and bone while only a few studies focused on the synovial component. Here, a hydrogel formulation suitable for 3D culturing human fibroblast-like synoviocytes and evaluated its suitability with non-RA and RA patients derived-cells is developed. Among different formulations, a chitosan (Cs)-based hydrogel, constituted by 70% of Cs and 30% of Matrigel, showed the best results in terms of stability as well as cell growth and morphology: non-RA and RA FLS are able to grow within the hydrogel forming a complex 3D network. Thanks to the low cost, and high market availability of chitosan, this system represents a good alternative to the use of sole Matrigel for encapsulating human synoviocytes.
De Vitis E, Stanzione A, Romano A, Quattrini A, Gigli G, Moroni L, Gervaso F, Polini A. The Evolution of Technology-Driven In Vitro Models for Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Apr;11(16):e2304989. doi: 10.1002/advs.202304989

The alteration in the neural circuits of both central and peripheral nervous systems is closely related to the onset of neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). Despite significant research efforts, the knowledge regarding NDD pathological processes, and the development of efficacious drugs are still limited due to the inability to access and reproduce the components of the nervous system and its intricate microenvironment. 2D culture systems are too simplistic to accurately represent the more complex and dynamic situation of cells in vivo and have therefore been surpassed by 3D systems. However, both models suffer from various limitations that can be overcome by employing two innovative technologies: organ-on-chip and 3D printing. In this review, an overview of the advantages and shortcomings of both microfluidic platforms and extracellular matrix-like biomaterials will be given. Then, the combination of microfluidics and hydrogels as a new synergistic approach to study neural disorders by analyzing the latest advances in 3D brain-on-chip for neurodegenerative research will be explored.
Vilardo, B.; De Marchi, F.; Raineri, D.; Manfredi, M.; De Giorgis, V.; Bebeti, A.; Scotti, L.; Kustrimovic, N.; Cappellano, G.; Mazzini, L.; et al. Shotgun Proteomics Links Proteoglycan-4⁺ Extracellular Vesicles to Cognitive Protection in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Biomolecules 2024, 14, 727. doi: doi.org/10.3390/biom14060727

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that lacks known biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease progression monitoring. Researchers have identified a new biomarker in extracellular vesicles (EVs) called proteoglycan-4 (PRG-4), or lubricin, for ALS. Specifically, it is noted that lubricin is decreased in ALS patients with impaired cognitive function. This study highlights the importance of EVs as a promising avenue for the discovery of potential new biomarkers in ALS. Furthermore, it underscores the unexpected role of PRG-4 in relation to cognitive status in ALS patients.
Abreu H, Lallukka M, Raineri D, Leigheb M, Ronga M, Cappellano G, Spriano S, Chiocchetti A. Evaluation of the immune response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultured on Ti6Al4V-ELI polished or etched surfaces.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024 Oct 8;12:1458091. doi: doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1458091

Titanium and its alloys are widely used in the biomedical field due to their excellent biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. However, the smooth surfaces of these materials can hinder rapid and effective osseointegration and other biological processes, such as angiogenesis, because of their hydrophobic and inert properties. Although extensively used in orthopedic implants, these surfaces require treatments to enhance cell adhesion and proliferation and increase protein adsorption capacity. This study evaluated a chemical treatment for titanium implants aimed at promoting tissue integration without altering their mechanical properties, demonstrating that the treated discs are immunobiocompatible with a profile similar to the control.
Grasso G., Onesto V., Forciniti S., D’Amone E., Colella F., Pierantoni L., Famà V., Gigli G., Reis R.L., Oliveira J.M., del Mercato L.L.
Highly Sensitive Ratiometric Fluorescent Fiber Matrixes for Oxygen Sensing with Micrometer-Spatial Resolution
Bio-Design and Manufacturing, 2024, 7, 292–306 doi: doi.org/10.1007/s42242-024-00277-3

This study introduces advanced membranes designed to monitor oxygen (O₂) levels in real-time for long-term cell studies, which is valuable for understanding cell behaviour and drug effects. Using a simple and scalable method, researchers created nanofibers infused with special dyes that can detect oxygen levels. These fibers are made from safe, durable materials and are specially designed to respond to changes in oxygen similar to those found in both healthy and diseased tissues.
The membranes also support the growth of different types of cancer cells, making them useful for studying cell metabolism under controlled oxygen conditions. By tracking how cells consume oxygen, these materials could help in testing new drugs and aid in developing tissue repair methods. This tool offers an accessible and reliable way to explore how cells respond to different oxygen environments, with potential applications in medical research and drug testing.
Siciliano A.C., Forciniti S., Onesto V., Iuele H., Delle Cave D., Carnevali F., Gigli G., Lonardo E., del Mercato L.L.
A 3D pancreatic cancer model with integrated optical sensors for non-invasive metabolism monitoring and drug screening
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2024, 2401138 doi: doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202401138

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a challenging cancer partly due to its complex environment, which affects how it grows and resists treatment. This study introduces a 3D model of PDAC using a gel-like substance and special pH sensors to monitor acid levels around tumor cells, which can change in response to drugs. The model combines tumor and supportive cells, allowing researchers to observe how drugs impact these cells’ acidic surroundings over time. By tracking these pH changes, scientists can better understand how different treatments work, supporting the development of personalized therapies for more effective cancer treatment.
Iuele H., Forciniti S., Onesto V., Colella F., Siciliano A.C., Chandra A., Nobile C., Gigli G., del Mercato L.L.
Facile One Pot Synthesis of Hybrid Core-Shell Silica-Based Sensors for Live Imaging of Dissolved Oxygen and Hypoxia Mapping in 3D cell model
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2024, 16, 41, 55071–55085 doi: doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c08306 Supplementary Journal Cover

These findings highlight the potential of our oxygen-sensing microsensors to provide valuable data on oxygen distribution within 3D cell cultures, especially in tumor-like environments where low oxygen levels, or hypoxia, play a critical role in cancer progression and resistance to therapy. By enabling precise, real-time oxygen measurements, these sensors allow researchers to study how oxygen dynamics impact cell behavior and treatment response in ways that 2D models cannot capture. This technology could lead to a better understanding of tumor microenvironments and improve the development of therapies tailored to combat hypoxia-related drug resistance in solid tumors.
Colella F., Forciniti S., Onesto V., Grasso G., Iuele H., Gigli G., del Mercato L.L.
A Fluorescent Ratiometric Potassium Sensor Based on IPG4-Silica Microparticles for Selective Detection and Fluorescence Imaging of Potassium Cations
Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2024, 12, 10573–10583 doi: doi.org/10.1039/D4TB01047G

Potassium cations play many important roles in living organisms, especially in electro-physiology, since they are involved in neurotransmission and muscle contractions. We report the synthesis of a ratiometric fluorescent microsensor for potassium (K⁺) detection, based on the fluorescent probe ION potassium green 4. Potassium-sensitive fluorescent microparticles were obtained by using silica as the core material. We obtained silica-based microsensors with sizes in the micrometre range, spherical shapes, good monodispersity, optimal selectivity and a sensitivity range of 0 to 40 mM. The microsensors also proved to be non-toxic in cell cultures and suitable for fluorescence imaging, offering new possibilities for non-invasive optical detection, quantification and in situ monitoring of K⁺ variations in cell culture systems.
Davide Raineri, Hugo Abreu, Beatrice Vilardo, Natasa Kustrimovic, Chiara Venegoni, Giuseppe Cappellano, and Annalisa Chiocchetti.
Deep Flow Cytometry Unveils Distinct Immune Cell Subsets in Inducible T Cell Co-Stimulator Ligand (ICOSL)- and ICOS-Knockout Mice during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Mar; 25(5): 2509. doi: doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052509

The study investigates the role of the ICOS/ICOSL system multiple sclerosis (MS) in its animal model , i.e. experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Researchers used mice lacking ICOS or ICOSL (namely knock out), key molecules in immune response regulation, to study their impact on EAE progression. Both types of knockout mice developed more severe EAE and showed a reduction in memory/regulatory T cells responses and IL-17 levels compared to normal mice, having both ICOS and ICOSL molecules. Unique immune changes were observed in ICOSL-deficient mice, suggesting other binding partners to ICOSL may influence EAE. This highlights the need for further research into the ICOS/ICOSL pathway’s role in other autoimmune conditions.
Stolfi F, Abreu H, Sinella R, Nembrini S, Centonze S, Landra V, Brasso C, Cappellano G, Rocca P and Chiocchetti A
Omics approaches open new horizons in major depressive disorder: from biomarkers to precision medicine.
Front. Psychiatry 15:1422939. doi: doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1422939

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent episodic mood disorder that represents the third leading cause of disability worldwide. In MDD, several factors can simultaneously contribute to its development, which complicates its diagnosis. According to practical guidelines, antidepressants are the first-line treatment for moderate to severe major depressive episodes. Traditional treatment strategies often follow a one-size-fits-all approach, resulting in suboptimal outcomes for many patients who fail to experience a response or recovery and develop the so-called “therapy-resistant depression”. The high biological and clinical inter-variability within patients and the lack of robust biomarkers hinder the finding of specific therapeutic targets, contributing to the high treatment failure rates. In this frame, precision medicine, a paradigm that tailors medical interventions to individual characteristics, would help allocate the most adequate and effective treatment for each patient while minimizing its side effects. In particular, multi-omic studies may unveil the intricate interplays between genetic predispositions and exposure to environmental factors through the study of epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, gut microbiomics, and immunomics.
Mazzucca CB, Scotti L, Raineri D, Cappellano G, Chiocchetti A.
Design and Validation of MEDOC, a Tool to Assess the Combined Adherence to Mediterranean and Western Dietary Patterns.
Nutrients. 2024; 16(11):1745. doi.org/10.3390/nu16111745

The Mediterranean diet (MD) and Western diet (WD) are poles apart as dietary patterns. Despite the availability of epidemiological tools to estimate the adherence to MD, to date, there is a lack of combined scores. We developed MEDOC, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to calculate a combined adherence score for both diets and validated it on 213 subjects.
Barbero Mazzucca C, Scotti L, Comi C, Vecchio D, Chiocchetti A, Cappellano G.
The Role of Diet in Multiple Sclerosis Onset: A Prospective Study Using UK Biobank.
Nutrients. 2024; 16(11):1746. doi.org/10.3390/nu16111746

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune condition primarily affecting young adults, and its rise is evident globally. Despite this, its precise etiology remains elusive. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to MS susceptibility; however, the link between diet and MS lacks substantial evidence due to limited large-scale studies. We exploited the UK Biobank resources to explore the nexus between diet, lifestyle, and MS risk. The dietary and lifestyle habits of MS incident cases, derived from a general food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) completed by all participants at study enrollment, were compared to those of subjects who did not develop MS during the follow-up.
Abreu H, Lallukka M, Miola M, Spriano S, Vernè E, Raineri D, Leigheb M, Ronga M, Cappellano G, Chiocchetti A.
Human T-Cell Responses to Metallic Ion-Doped Bioactive Glasses.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(8):4501. doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084501

Biomaterials are extensively used as replacements for damaged tissue with bioactive glasses standing out as bone substitutes for their intrinsic osteogenic properties. However, biomaterial implantation has the following risks: the development of implant-associated infections and adverse immune responses. Thus, incorporating metallic ions with known antimicrobial properties can prevent infection, but should also modulate the immune response. Therefore, we selected silver, copper and tellurium as doping for bioactive glasses and evaluated the immunophenotype and cytokine profile of human T-cells cultured on top of these discs.

2023

Raineri D, Venegoni C, Calella MG, Vaschetto R, Scotti L, Canciani E, Manfredi M, Gavelli F, Castello L, Chiocchetti A, Cappellano G.
Worse Disease Prognosis Is Associated to an Increase of Platelet-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 Patients.
Dis Markers. 2022 Jul 7;2022:8074655. doi: doi.org/10.1155/2022/8074655. eCollection 2022.

Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (PLT-EVs) were found increased in our previous study on COVID-19 patients, proposing them as a potential biomarker for the infection. This research investigates the predictive value of PLT-EV levels at hospital admission and within the first week of hospitalization. We confirmed in the third-wave of COVID-19 that PLT-EV are a biomarkers of disease. Interestingly, increased PLT-EV levels were found in hospitalized patients during the first week with unfavorable outcomes, by suggesting a correlation between rising PLT-EV levels in the first week after admission and a more severe disease progression.
Morello G, De Iaco G, Gigli G, Polini A, Gervaso F.
Chitosan and Pectin Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and In Vitro Modeling.
Gels. 2023 Feb 4;9(2):132. doi: doi.org/10.3390/gels9020132.

Hydrogels, as biomaterials, serve as supportive scaffolds for cell organization in 3D systems, recreating physiological and pathological cellular microenvironments. They are crucial for tissue engineering and 3D in vitro models, mimicking the extracellular matrix of specific organs. Polysaccharide-based hydrogels, especially those using chitosan and pectin, demonstrate excellent biocompatibility and beneficial interaction with cellular components. Despite the growing interest in such hydrogels, there is a lack of focus on the combined use of chitosan and pectin. This review explores the biomedical applications of hydrogels incorporating both polysaccharides in tissue engineering and 3D in vitro modeling.
Giuliana Grasso, Francesco Colella, Stefania Forciniti, Valentina Onesto, Helena Iuele, Anna Chiara Siciliano, Federica Carnevali, Anil Chandra, Giuseppe Gigliab and Loretta L. del Mercato.
Fluorescent nano- and microparticles for sensing cellular microenvironment: past, present and future applications,
Nanoscale Adv., 2023, 5, 4311 , DOI: 10.1039/d3na00218g

The tumor microenvironment (TME) holds critical markers for early cancer detection and treatment. Ratiometric fluorescence sensors play a key role in monitoring TME traits like acidity, oxygen, and ions. This review explores their latest advancements, design, and applications, offering insights into TME dynamics for improved cancer research and diagnosis.
Nawaz, Ahmad Ahsan and Soteriou, Despina and Xu, Catherine K. and Goswami, Ruchi and Herbig, Maik and Guck, Jochen and Girardo, Salvatore.
Image-based cell sorting using focused travelling surface acoustic waves,
Lab Chip, 2023, 23, 2, 372-387, doi: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2LC00636G

The combination of real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC) with a focused traveling surface acoustic wave (FTSAW)-based actuator provides a user-friendly, label-free, reliable, and high-throughput microfluidic device for continuous image-based cell sorting with high purity and sensitivity. In our paper recently published on Lab on a Chip Journal, we demonstrated the sorting of multiple cell types of different sizes and mechanical properties, corresponding to a wide range of mammalian cells. Our technique opens the prospect of sorting cells based on their morpho-rheological phenotype that in combination with downstream analysis can provide new insights into the correlation between cell physical properties and biological functions.
Rizzo, Riccardo and Onesto, Valentina and Morello, Giulia and Iuele, Helena and Scalera, Francesca and Gigli, Giuseppe and Polini, Alessandro and Gervaso, Francesca and del Mercato, Loretta L.,
Ph-Sensing Hydrogels for Non-Invasive Metabolism Monitoring in Tumor Spheroids.
Materials Today Bio, 2023, 20, 100655, doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100655

Acidification of extracellular pH is a well-known feature of solid tumors, correlated to cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to therapies. Monitoring local pH variations, non-invasively, during cancer growth and in response to drug treatment becomes extremely important for understanding cancer mechanisms. Here, we describe a simple and reliable pH-sensing system based on a thermoresponsive hydrogel embedding optical pH-sensors that enable non-invasive and accurate metabolism monitoring in colorectal cancer (CRC) spheroids. These findings will be essential for the study of solid tumors in vitro and the development of personalized medicine approaches.

2022

Bucciarelli A, Paolelli X, De Vitis E, Selicato N, Gervaso F, Gigli G, Moroni L, Polini A.
VAT photopolymerization 3D printing optimization of high aspect ratio structures for additive manufacturing of chips towards biomedical applications,
Additive Manufacturing, Volume 60, Part A, 2022, doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2022.103200

The authors applied a statistical methodology, called Design of Experiment (DoE), to better understand the process factors behind the production of organ-on-chip (OoC) platforms by Digital Light Processing (DLP). DLP is an additive manufacturing technology that allows to fabricate complex OoC architectures with high resolution and flexibility in a short time.
Neto E, Monteiro AC, Leite Pereira C, Simões M, Conde JP, Chu V, Sarmento B, Lamghari M.
Micropathological Chip Modeling the Neurovascular Unit Response to Inflammatory Bone Condition.
Adv Healthc Mater. 2022 Feb 14:e2102305. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202102305
Polini A, Moroni L.
The convergence of high-tech emerging technologies into the next stage of organ-on-a-chips.
Biomaterials and Biosystems Volume 1, March 2021, 100012. doi: 10.1016/j.bbiosy.2021.100012
Mazzucca CB, Scotti L, Cappellano G, Barone-Adesi F, Chiocchetti A.
Nutrition and Rheumatoid Arthritis Onset: A Prospective Analysis Using the UK Biobank.
Nutrients. 2022; 14(8):1554. doi: 10.3390/nu14081554

The multifactorial etiopathogenesis of RA has been heavily investigated, but is still only partially understood. Diet can represent both a risk factor and a protective factor, based on some evidence that suggests specific properties of certain foods and their ability to increase/reduce inflammation. To date, the studies done on this topic provide discordant results and are heterogeneous in terms of design and cohort size. In this work, we investigated for the first time the relationship between nutrition and the risk of RA onset using a sample size of about half a million subjects from one of the largest publicly available biobanks that is the UK biobank. Results showed that oily fish, alcohol, coffee and breakfast cereals have protective roles in RA; whereas, tea can increase the risk of RA.
Raineri D, Cappellano G, Vilardo B, Maione F, Clemente N, Canciani E, Boggio E, Gigliotti CL, Monge C, Dianzani C, Boldorini R, Dianzani U, Chiocchetti A.
Inducible T-Cell Costimulator Ligand Plays a Dual Role in Melanoma Metastasis upon Binding to Osteopontin or Inducible T-Cell Costimulator.
Biomedicines. 2022; 10(1):51. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10010051
Neto, E., Monteiro, A. C., Leite Pereira, C., Simões, M., Conde, J. P., Chu, V., … & Lamghari, M. (2022).
Micropathological Chip Modeling the Neurovascular Unit Response to Inflammatory Bone Condition.
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2022, 2102305. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202102305

2021

Mazzucca CB, Raineri D, Cappellano G, Chiocchetti A.
How to Tackle the Relationship between Autoimmune Diseases and Diet: Well Begun Is Half-Done.
Nutrients. 2021; 13(11):3956. doi: 10.3390/nu13113956
Cappellano G, Abreu H, Casale C, Dianzani U, Chiocchetti A.
Nano-Microparticle Platforms in Developing Next-Generation Vaccines.
Vaccines. 2021; 9(6):606. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9060606
Morello G, Polini A, Scalera F, Rizzo R, Gigli G, Gervaso F.
Preparation and Characterization of Salt-Mediated Injectable Thermosensitive Chitosan/Pectin Hydrogels for Cell Embedding and Culturing.
Polymers. 2021; 13(16):2674. doi: 10.3390/polym13162674
Stanzione, A., Polini, A., La Pesa, V., Quattrini, A., Romano, A., Gigli, G., … & Gervaso, F.
Thermosensitive chitosan-based hydrogels supporting motor neuron-like NSC-34 cell differentiation.
Biomaterials Science, 9(22), 2021, 7492-7503. doi: 10.1039/D1BM01129D
Polini, A., & Moroni, L. (2021).
The convergence of high-tech emerging technologies into the next stage of organ-on-a-chips.
Biomaterials and Biosystems, 1, 100012. doi: 10.1016/j.bbiosy.2021.100012
De Vitis, E., La Pesa, V., Gervaso, F., Romano, A., Quattrini, A., Gigli, G., … & Polini, A.
A microfabricated multi-compartment device for neuron and Schwann cell differentiation.
Scientific reports, 2021, 11(1), 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86300-4

Conference presentations

Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging of Acellular or Cellular Hydrogels and Organ-on-a-Chip Platforms
64th International Scientific Conference of Riga Technical University “Materials Science and Applied Chemistry” 2023
Jana Vecstaudža, Karina Egle, Abhishek Rajesh Indurkar, Jānis Ločs [pdf]
Granulation of Calcium Phosphates based on Principles of Leidenfrost Effect
Bioinspiration in Biomaterials: 16th Scandinavian Society for Biomaterials Meeting (ScSB 2023) 2023
Jana Vecstaudža, Karina Egle, Valentīna Stepanova, Jānis Ločs
Do fibroblast-like synoviocytes define specific clinical and treatment-response endotypes in Rheumatoid Arthritis?
William Harvey PhD Symposium 2024
Federico Abatecola, Felice Rivellese, Liliane Fossati-Jimack, Francesco Salvatore Iaquinta, Costantino Pitzalis
Analysis of Interstitial CD90 Fibroblasts Refines Synovial Pathotype Classification in Rheumatoid Arthritis
EWRR 2024
Federico Abatecola, Liliane Fossati-Jimack, Francesco Salvatore Iaquinta, Felice Rivellese, Costantino Pitzalis
Use of micro-computed tomography for visualisation of tissue-mimicking hydrogels embedded in organ-on-chip platforms
China-Europe Symposium on Biomaterials in Regenerative Medicine 2024
J. Vecstaudza, J. Locs