Research Activity
Il processo di neuroinfiammazione è coinvolto nella patogenesi di diverse malattie neurologiche e neuropsichiatriche. Il sistema immunitario ha un ruolo fondamentale nella neuroinfiammazione. Lo scopo dei nostri studi è quello di identificare nuovi meccanismi immunologici coinvolti nei processi di neuroinfiammazione ed in particolare nella sclerosi multipla e nell’autismo.
La mia attività di ricerca è svolta da un gruppo di ricercatori composto attualmente da 1 post-doc, 1 dottorando, e 2 tesisti di laurea magistrale. Al centro della nostra ricerca ci sono linfociti T helper e cellule dendritiche, che sono cellule immunitarie che producono citochine coinvolte nei processi di neuroinfiammazione. Noi lavoriamo con tessuti e cellule primarie umane, provenienti da donatori sani e pazienti, e utilizziamo approcci di immunologia cellulare, molecolare, biochimica e computazionale. Abbiamo stabilito una forte collaborazione con l’ospedale della Fondazione Santa Lucia (D.ssa Maria Grazia Grasso), altri gruppi di ricerca della Fondazione Santa Lucia (tra cui il Dott. Battistini e la Dott.ssa Borsellino), altri ospedali di Roma (tra cui il Policlinico Tor Vergata), e altri centri di ricerca in Italia (tra cui l'Università di Verona, l'Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta di Milano e l’Ospedale San Martino di Genova), in Europa (tra cui l’istituto Saint-Louis di Parigi), e nel mondo (tra cui l’università McGill a Montreal), che ci permettono di svolgere i nostri progetti in modo multidisciplinare.
Curriculum Vitae
2019 - oggi Responsabile del Laboratorio di Neuroimmunologia Molecolare, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma
2010 - 2018 Biologa ricercatrice, Laboratorio di Neuroimmunologia, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma.
2009 - 2010 Post-doc fellowship "European Reintegration Grant Marie Curie", Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma.
2006 - 2009 Post-doc fellowship "Marie Curie", Laboratorio di Immunologia Clinica, Insitut Curie, Paris, France.
2002 - 2005 Dottorato di Ricerca in Immunologia, Laboratorio Patologia Molecolare e Immunochimica, Università di Tor Vergata, Roma - Laboratorio di Malattie Infettive, INMM, CNR, Roma.
1996 - 2001 Laurea in Scienze Biologiche, Università Tor Vergata, Roma
Awards
Brevetto: Sphingosine derivative as an immunoregulator compound. Fraziano M., Garg S.K., Volpe E., Martino A., De Vito P., Baldini M., Galati D., Auricchio G., Ciaramella A., Colizzi V. N° 02793332.4-2123-IT 0200740 of 11.21.02 (Italian and european patent). N° 13/743516 of 01.17.13 (United States patent).
- Capone A, Naro C, Bianco M, De Bardi M, Noel F, Macchi P, Battistini L, Soumelis V, Sette C, Volpe E. Systems analysis of human T helper17 cell differentiation uncovers distinct time-regulated transcriptional modules. iScience 2021.
- Donninelli G, Studer V, Brambilla L, Zecca C, Peluso D, Laroni A, Michelis D, Mantegazza R, Confalonieri P, Volpe E. Immune soluble factors in the cerebbrospinal fluid of progressive multiple sclerosis patients segregate into two groups. Front Immunol., 2021.
- Capone A. and Volpe E. Identification and purification of human memory T helper cells from peripheral blood. In:Annunziato, Francesco, Maggi, Laura, Mazzoni, Alessio editors. T-Helper Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2021.
- De Paola E, Forcina L, Pelosi L, Pisu S, La Rosa P, Cesari E, Nicoletti C, Madaro L, Mercatelli N, Biamonte F, Nobili A, D'Amelio M, De Bardi M, Volpe E, Caporossi D, Sette C, Musarò A, Paronetto MP. Sam68 splicing regulation contributes to motor unit establishment in the postnatal skeletal muscle. Life Science Alliance, 2020.
- Cortese A, Lova L, Comoli P, Volpe E, Villa S, Mallucci G, La Salvia S, Romani A, Franciotta D, Bollati V, Basso S, Guido I, Quartuccio G, Battistini L, Cereda C, Bergamaschi R. Air pollution as a contributor to the inflammatory activity of multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroinflammation 2020.
- Donninelli G, Saraf Sinik I, Mazziotti V, Capone A, Grasso M G, Battistini L, Reynolds R, Magliozzi R, Volpe E. Interleukin-9 regulates macrophage activation in the progressive multiple sclerosis brain. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 2020.
- Capone A, Volpe E, Transcriptional regulators of T helper 17 cell differentiation in health and autoimmune diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, 2020.
- Kunkl M, Frascolla S, Amormino C, Volpe E, Tuosto L. T helper cells: the modulators of inflammation in multiple sclerosis. Cells, 2020.
- Capone A, Bianco M, Ruocco G, De Bardi M, Battistini L, Ruggier L, Gasperini C, Centonze D, Sette C, Volpe E. Distinct Expression of Inflammatory Features in T Helper 17 Cells from Multiple Sclerosis Patients. Cells, 2019.
- Corsetti M, RuoccoG, Ruggieri S, Gasperini C, Battistini L, Volpe Resiquimod-Mediated Activation of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Is Amplified in Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci., 2019.
- Becher J, Simula L, VolpeE, Procaccini C, La Rocca C, D'Acunzo P, Cianfanelli V, Strappazzon F, Caruana I, Nazio F, Weber G, Gigantino V, Botti G, Ciccosanti F, Borsellino G, Campello S, Mandolesi G, De Bardi M, Fimia GM, D'Amelio M, Ruffini F, Furlan R, Centonze D, Martino G, Braghetta P, Chrisam M, Bonaldo P, Matarese G, Locatelli F, Battistini L, Cecconi AMBRA1 Controls Regulatory T-Cell Differentiation and Homeostasis Upstream of the FOXO3-FOXP3 Axis. Dev Cell., 2018.
- VolpeE, Cesari E, Mercatelli N, Cicconi R, De Bardi M, Capone A, Bonvissuto D, Fraziano M, Mattei M, Battistini L, Paronetto MP, Sette The RNA binding protein Sam68 controls T helper 1 differentiation and anti-mycobacterial response through modulation of miR-29. Cell Death Differ., 2018.
- Bielli P, Panzeri V, Lattanzio R, Mutascio S, Pieraccioli M, Volpe E, Pagliarulo V, Piantelli M, Giannantoni A, Di Stasi SM, Sette C. The splicing factor PTBP1 promotes expression of oncogenic splice variants and predicts poor prognosis in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.Clin Cancer Res., 2018.
- Chiricozzi A, Romanelli P, VolpeE, Borsellino G, Romanelli M. Scanning the Immunopathogenesis of Psoriasis. Int J Mol Sci., 2018.
- PattariniL, Trichot C, Bogiatzi S, Grandclaudon M, Meller S, Keuylian Z, Durand M, Volpe E, Madonna S, Cavani A, Chiricozzi A, Romanelli M, Hori T, Hovnanian A, Homey B, Soumelis V. TSLP-activated dendritic cells induce human T follicular helper cell differentiation through OX40-ligand. J Exp Med., 2017.
- Volpe E, Sambucci M, Battistini L, Borsellino G. Fas–Fas Ligand: Checkpoint of T Cell Functions in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Immunol., 2016.
- La Rosa P, Bielli P, Compagnucci C, Cesari E, Volpe E, Farioli Vecchioli S, Sette C. Sam68 promotes self-renewal and glycolytic metabolism in mouse neural progenitor cells by modulating Aldh1a3 pre-mRNA 3’-end processing. eLife, 2016.
- Di MitriD, Sambucci M, Loiarro M, De Bardi M, Volpe E, Cencioni MT, Gasperini C, Centonze D, Sette C, Akbar AN, Borsellino G, Battistini L. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade modulates T helper type 17 differentiation and functionality in multiple sclerosis. , 2015.
- Fidaleo M, Svetoni F, Volpe E, Miñana B, Caporossi D, Paronetto MP Genotoxic stress inhibits Ewing sarcoma cell growth by modulating alternative pre-mRNA processing of the RNA helicase DHX9. Oncotarget., 2015.
- Volpe E, Battistini L, Borsellino G. Advances in T Helper 17 Cell Biology: Pathogenic Role and Potential Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis. Mediators Inflammation, 2015.
- Cencioni M.T., Santini S., Ruocco G., Borsellino G., De Bardi M., Grasso M.G., Ruggieri S., Gasperini C., Centonze D., Barilá D., Battistini L., Volpe E.. FAS-ligand regulates differential activation induced cell death of human T helper 1 and 17 cells in healthy donors and multiple sclerosis patients. Cell Death Dis., 2015.
- Ruocco G., Rossi S., Motta C., Macchiarulo G., Barbieri F., De Bardi M., Borsellino G., Finardi A., Grasso M.G., Ruggieri S., Gasperini C., Furlan R., Centonze D., Battistini L., Volpe E. T helper 9 cells induced by plasmacytoid dendritic cells regulate interleukin-17 in multiple sclerosis. Clin Sci (Lond)., 2015.
- Rossi S., Motta C., Studer V., Macchiarulo G., Volpe E., Barbieri F., Ruocco G., Buttari F., Finardi A., Mancino R., Weiss S., Battistini L., Martino G., Furlan R., Drulovic J., Centonze D. Interleukin-1β causes excitotoxic neurodegeneration and multiple sclerosis disease progression by activating the apoptotic protein p53. Mol Neurodegener., 2014.
- Volpe E., Pattarini L., Martinez-Cingolani C., Meller S., Donnadieu M.H., Bogiatzi S.I., Fernandez M.I., Touzot M., Bichet JC., Reyal F., Paronetto M.P.,Chiricozzi A., Chimenti S., Nasorri F., Cavani A., Kislat A., Homey B., Soumelis V. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin links keratinocytes and dendritic cell-derived IL-23 in patients with psoriasis. J Allergy Clin Immunol., 2014.
- Paronetto M.P., Bernardis I., Volpe E., Bechara E., Sebestyén E., Eyras E., Valcàrcel J., Regulation of FAS exon definition and apoptosis by the Ewing sarcoma protein. Cell Rep., 2014.
- Camperio C., Muscolini M., Volpe E., Di Mitri D., Mechelli R., Buscarinu M.C., Ruggieri S., Piccolella E., Salvetti M., Gasperini C., Battistini L., Tuosto L. CD28 ligation in the absence of TCR stimulation up-regulates IL-17A and pro inflammatory cytokines in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis T lymphocytes. Immunol Lett., 2014.
- Loiarro M., Volpe E., Ruggiero V., Gallo G., Furlan R., Maiorino C., Battistini L., Sette C. Mutational analysis identifies residues crucial for homodimerization of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88) and for its function in immune cells. J Biol Chem., 2013.
- Fernandez M.I., Heuzé, M., Martinez C., Volpe E., Donnadieu M.H., Piel M., Homey B., Lennon Duménil, A. and Soumelis V. The human cytokine TSLP triggers a cell autonomous dendritic cell migration in confined environments. Blood, 2011.
- Volpe E., Touzot M., Servant N., Marloie-Provost M.A., Hupé P., Barillot E., Soumelis V. Multiparametric analysis of cytokine-driven human Th17 differentiation reveals a differential regulation of IL-17 and IL-22 production. Blood, 2009.
- Soumelis V, Volpe E. Th17 differentiation, a complex process in mouse and man. Med Sci (Paris), 2008.
- Volpe E., Servant N., Zollinger R., Hupé , Bogiatzi S., Barillot E., Soumelis V. A critical role for TGF-b, IL-23 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in driving and modulating human Th17 responses. Nature immunology, 2008.
- Bogiatzi S. I., Fernandez I., Bichet J.C., Marloie- Provost M.A., Volpe E., Sastre X., Soumelis V. Proinflammatory and Th2 cytokines synergize to induce Thymic Stromal Lymphopoiein production by human skin keratinocytes. Journal of Immunology, 2007.
- Volpe , Martino A., Auricchio G., Izzi V., Poccia F., Mariani F., Colizzi V., Baldini P. M. Sphingosine 1-phosphate may induce human monocytes to differentiate into CD1a - dendritic cells subverting the response to LPS. Scandinavian Journal Immunology, 2007.
- Martino A., Volpe , Baldini P. M. Influence of lysophosphatidic acid on the immuno phenotypic differentiation of human monocytes into dendritic cells. Haematologica, 2006.
- Grassi M., Bocchino M.L., Marrucchella A., Volpe E., Saltini C., Colizzi V., Mariani F. Transcriptional profile of the immune response in the lungs of patients with active tuberculosis. Clinical Immunology, 2006.
- Volpe E., Cappelli G., Grassi M., Martino A., Serafino A., Colizzi V., Mariani F. Gene expression profiling of human macrophages at late time of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Immunology, 2006.
- Cappelli G., Volpe E., Grassi M., Liseo B., Colizzi V., Mariani F. Profiling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene expression during human macrophage infection: up- regulation of the alternative sigma factor G, a group of transcriptional regulators, and proteins with unknown function. Research in Microbiology, 2006.
- Volpe E., Martino A., Colizzi V., Baldini P.M. Influence of Pertussis toxin on in vitro induction of CD1a isoform expression in human dendritic cells. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 2006.
- Grassi M., Volpe E., Colizzi V., Mariani F. An improved real-time PCR assay for the detection of GC-rich and low abundance templates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 2006.
- Martino A., Sacchi A., Volpe E., Agrati C., De Santis R., Pucillo L. P., Colizzi V., Vendetti S. Non pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis affects human monocytes derived Dendritic cells differentiation. Journal of Clinical Immunol, 2005.
- Garg S.K., Volpe E., Palmieri G., Mattei M., Galati D., Martino A., Piccioni M.S., Valente E., Bonanno E., De Vito P., Baldini M.P., Spagnoli L.G., Colizzi V., Fraziano M. Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces antimicrobial activity both in vitro and in vivo. Journal Infectious Diseases, 2004.
- Martino A., Auricchio G., Garg S.K., Volpe E., Ciaramella A., De Vito P., Baldini P.M., Colizzi V., Fraziano M. Role of macrophage phospholipase D in natural and CPG-induced anti- mycobacterial activity. Cellular Microbiology, 2003.