Emanuela Barletta

Biography

1985: He graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Florence with 110 and 110 praise, discussing an experimental thesis entitled "Role of gangliosides in the adhesion process: characteristics of the ganglioside structure of the adhesion zones to the substrates of normal, transformed and metastatic cells ". 1985: Diploma of enrollment for the exercise of the profession of surgeon 1986 - 1987: Leader of the Italian Association for Cancer Research. 1988 - 1990: Research Associate at the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology of the Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland (Ohio, U.S.A.). 1991: He holds the title of PhD in "Experimental Pathology" by discussing an experimental thesis titled "Role of gangliosides in the cell adhesion and differentiation process". 1992 - 1995: A full time trainee for specialist doctors pursuant to Legislative Decree 8/8/91 n. 25 at the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine at the University of Florence 1995: University Researcher, Group F04A, at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of Florence. 1995: Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine address Epidemiology and Public Health at the School of Specialization in Preventive Hygiene and Medicine at the University of Florence with grades 70 and praise / 70 discussing a thesis titled "Biological indicators in molecular epidemiology studies" . 2004 - to date: Associate Professor, for the scientific-disciplinary sector MED04, at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Florence.

Research Interest

Since the beginning of his research activity, Prof. Emanuela Barletta has focused her scientific interests on molecular mechanisms that regulate the cell adhesion and differentiation process to extracellular matrices using various normal and transformed cell lines. In particular, his studies have focused on the analysis of adhesion interactions between specific molecules expressed on the cell surface such as gangliosides, integrins and eparansulphates with defined adhesion proteins such as fibronectin, vitronectin and platelet factor 4 ( PF4). In addition, it extended its studies to molecular mechanisms that govern the relationship between differentiating properties and invasive capacity of transformed cell lines as cell differentiation and invasiveness require interactions between specific cell surface receptors with adhesion molecules of extracellular matrices and degradation of the adhesive components of the extracellular matrix. In particular, it analyzed the role played by specific differentiating agents such as retinoic acid, platelet activating factor (PAF) and neurotrophin CNTF (Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor) and BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotophic Factor) on the differentiation and invasiveness process of various neuroblastoma lines. It has thus emerged that these differentiating agents induce the neuroblastoma differentiation process and reduce their invasive capacity by modulation of the expression of specific proteases, metalloproteases (MMPs). In recent years, Professor Barletta has undertaken a study on molecular mechanisms that regulate the proliferation and differentiation process of endothelial cells. Both processes include, for example, modification of adhesion properties and secretion by endothelial cells of proteolytic enzymes such as urochinasic plasminogen activator (uPA). In particular, he studied the role played by the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the expression of the uPA gene. From this study, it has emerged that bFGF stimulates expression of the gene for uPA and that this effect can be modulated by mechanisms of regulation of gene expression mediated by the activity of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) nuclear enzyme. More recently, Prof.ssa Barletta has undertaken a collaboration with the research unit directed by Prof. Paolo Fabbri from the Department of Dermatological Sciences of the University of Florence where he intends to analyze the role played by metalloproteases, uPA and from the activity of PARP in the pathogenesis of autoimmune bruised skin diseases. In addition, Prof.ssa Barletta has studied the role of exposure to environmental pollutants in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (LMA) in humans during her scientific work. Specifically, in this study, it was assessed whether in subjects with LMA the presence of specific mutations in ras proto-oncogenes is associated with a greater risk of previous exposure to particular toxic substances present in the environment of life and / or work. This study has demonstrated a positive association between iatrogenic exposure to chemotherapy or ionizing radiation and the onset of mutations in proto-oncogene ras, suggesting that the onset of specific mutations in proto-oncogene ras can be a useful biological marker to identify pathogenetic subclasses of LMA.