Unit of Comparative Neurobiology
Lab of Neurofisiologia
tel. +051 2094135
fax +051 2094286
Group Leader: Alessandro Poli
E-mail : a.poli@alma.unibo.it
Research in progress :
- Role of mGlu receptors in hypoxia - Gluatamate metabotropic receptors are implicated in mechanisms of neurodegeneration and/or neuroprotection, and are considered as targets for neuroprotective drugs of potential use in the treatment of hypoxia/hypoglycemia-induced neurodegenerative disorders. Characteristically, vertebrates are intolerant of a prolonged interruption in oxygen supply. The only exception to this rule are found among pecilothermic species, notably goldfish and freshwater turtles. Recently we have shown that mGlu2/3 subtype receptors are highly expressed in various regions of the goldfish brain, where they are involved in the protection of neuronal cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis.In the mammalian brain, exposure to a low-oxygen environment markedly increases the expression of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) that seem to play a role in the optimisation of metabolism. Since HIF has been shown to be involved in the apoptotic response under conditions of chronic hypoxia, our research project address the question as to whether the protective effect of mGlu2/3 receptors in hypoxia-induced apoptosis could modulate the expression of HIF in goldfish brain.
Funding :
- PRIN 1998 (MIUR)
- FIRB 2001 (MIUR)
- PRIN 2003 (MIUR)
Patents :
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Selected Publications :
- Notari S., Lucchi R., Traversa U. and Poli A. 2004 Reversible changes in golfish brain polyamine concentrations and synthetic enzymes after cold exposure. Brain Res 1006: 241-247
- Poli A., Beraudi A., Villani L., Storto M., Battaglia G., Di Giorgio Geverini V., Cappuccio I., Caricasole A., D’Onofrio M. and Nicoletti F. 2003 Group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors regulate the vulnerability to hypoxic brain damage. J. Neurosci. 23: 6023-6029
- Beraudi A., Traversa U., Villani L., Sekino Y., Nagy J.I., Poli A. 2003 Distribution and expression of A1 adenosine receptors, adenosine deaminase and adenosine deaminase-binding protein (CD26) in goldfish brain. Neurochem. Int. 1283: 455-464
- Villani L., Beraudi A., G., A., Poli A. 2001 MPTP-Induced Apoptosis in the Retina of Goldfish Neurotoxicity Research 3: 255-257
- Virgili M., Poli A., Beraudi A., Giuliani A., Villani L. 2001 Regional distrubution of nitric oxide synthase and NADPH-diaphorase activities in the central nervous system of teleosts. Brain Res. 901, 202-207
- Gandolfi O., Bonfante V., Voltattorni M., Dall'Olio R., Poli A., Pietra C., Villetti G. 2001 Anticonvulsant preclinical profile of CHF 3381 Dopaminergic and glutamatergic mechanisms Pharmacol. Biochem. Be. 70: 157-166
- Poli A., Di Iorio P., Beraudi A., Notari S., Zaccanti F., Villani L., Traversa U. 2001 he calcium-dependent [3H]acetylcholine release from synaptosomes of brown trout (Salmo trutta) optic tectum is inhibited by adenosine A1 receptors. Effects of enucleation on A1 receptor density and cholinergic markers. Brain Res. 892 : 78-85
- Poli B. M., Zampacavallo G., Parisi G., Poli A., Mascini M. 2000 Biosensors applied to biochemical fish quality indicators in refrigerated and frozen sea bass reared in aerated or hyperoxic conditions. Aquacult. Int. 8: 335-348
- Poli A., Lucchi R., Notari S., Zampacavallo G., Gandolfi O., Traversa U. 1999 Pharmacological characterization of adenosine A1 receptors and its functional role in brown trout (Salmo trutta) brain. Brain Research 837: 46-54
- Poli A., Lucchi R., Storto M., De Paolis P., Notari S., Nicoletti F., Casabona G. 1999 Predominant expression of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors in the goldfish brain. Brain Research 834: 142-145
Postgraduate training :
- Cellular Biology and Physiology PhD programme
Collaborations :
- : Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, Medical School, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy
- : Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
- : Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy
- : Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
Links :
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Research group :
Alessandro Poli (Associate professor)
Alina Beraudi (Postdoc)
