Developed skills and lines of research
Massimo Conese graduated in Medicine in 1987 and specialized in Oncology in 1990, at the University of Bari, studying macrophages and the control of coagulation. He then received his PhD in Pathology and Molecular Biology in 1995 from the Second University of Naples. He is currently an associate professor at the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia. His research interests are: cystic fibrosis gene therapy; pre-clinical evaluation of viral (Lentivirus HIV-1-derived) and non-viral (polymers and copolymers) vectors for CFTR gene transfer into airway epithelial cells in vitro and in mouse models; cystic fibrosis cell therapy; evaluation of different bone marrow stem cell sources; interaction of CFTR with scaffold proteins and their influence on membrane cytoskeleton and tight junctions in airway epithelial cells; pathophysiology of lung disease in cystic fibrosis; gene expression profile of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) in blood and sputum of CF patients and role of PMN-derived microparticles.
Projects funded by FFC Ricerca as Principal Investigator or as Research Manager
FFC#2/2006
Homing of bone marrow-derived stem cells to the respiratory epithelium in a cystic fibrosis mouse model: Role of bioenergetic metabolism
FFC#2/2002
Evaluation of efficiency, efficacy and safety of CFTR-gene delivery mediated by lentivirus vectors in model systems of cystic fibrosis airway epithelium
Projects financed by FFC Ricerca as a partner
FFC#3/2012
Study of the pathogenetic and therapeutic role of the Epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) in CF and CF-like disease
FFC#1/2009
Interactome in cystic fibrosis: role of NHERF1 in actin cytoskeleton and tight junction phathophysiology
FFC#2/2007
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of the actin cytoskeleton involvement in the NHERF1-dependent rescue of deltaF508 CFTR in human airway cells
FFC #3/2005
Evaluation od PEI-albumin for in vitro and in vivo delivery of CFTR chromosomal vectors in airway model systems
FFC#3/2003
Screening of drugs approved for human use to identify novel pharmacological tools for cystic fibrosis
FFC#1/2002
Minichromosomes : a new approach for cystic fibrosis gene therapy
Publications from FFC Research projects
Auriche C, Carpani D, Conese M, et al. Functional human CFTR produced by a stable minichromosome. Embo Reports, 2002 Sept;3(9):862-8.
Copreni E, Penzo M, Carrabino S, Conese M. Lentivirus-mediated gene transfer to the respiratory epithelium: a promising approach to gene therapy of cystic fibrosis. Gene Therapy, 2004 Oct;11Suppl1:S67-75.
Carrabino S, Di Gioia S, Copreni E, Conese M. Serum albumin enhances polyethylenimine-mediated gene delivery to human respiratory epithelial cells. Journal of GeneMedicine, 2005 Dec;7(12):1555-64.
Pedemonte N, Lukacs GL, Du K, et al. Small-molecule correctors of defective deltaF508-CFTR cellular processing identified by high-throughput screening, Journal of clinical investigation, 2005 Sep;115(9):2564-71
Pedemonte N, Diena T, Caci E., et al. Anti-hypertensive 1,4 dihydropyridines as correctors of the CFTR channel gating defect caused by cystic fibrosis mutations, Molecular Pharmacology, 2005 Dec;68(6):1736-46
Fanelli T, Cadibe R, Favia M, et al. β-estradiol rescues ∆F508CFTR functional expression in human cystic fibrosis airway CFBE41o-cells through the up-regulation of NHERF1, Biology of the cell, 2008 100(7):399-412.
Favia M, Guerra L, Fanelli T, et al. Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 1 overexpression-dependent increase of cytoskeleton organization is fundamental in the rescue of F508del cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in human airway CFBE41o- Cells, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2010 1;21(1):73-86
Monterisi S, Favia M, Guerra L, et al. CFTR regulation in human airway epithelial cells requires integrity of the actin cytoskeleton and compartimetalized cAMP and PKA activity, Journal of Cell Science, 2012 1;125(Pt 5):1106-17
Castellani S, Guerra L, Favia M, et al. NHERF1 and CFTR restore tight junction organisation and function in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells: role of ezrin and the RhoA/ROCK pathway, Laboratory Investigation, 2012 Nov;92(11):1527-40
Trotta T, Guerra L, Piro D, et al. Stimulation of β2-adrenergic receptor increases CFTR function and decreases ATP levels in murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 2015 14(1):26-33