Publication

Main research areas The focus of my work throughout the years has been the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in different rare disorders (thalassemia and cystic fibrosis), as well as in cancer, in order to identify biomarkers and new therapeutic targets, in the field of personalized medicine. Until 2017 I have collaborated with national and international groups in the development of research projects in which these structures were involved, both for the recovery of biological samples used for the development of therapeutic drugs and protocols for the care of the beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, and the setting up a biobank. In addition, my field of interest regards molecules regulating transcriptional and post-transcriptional control mechanisms, such as non-coding RNAs that were explored as biomarkers and as potential targets for molecular therapy. More recently my interest concerned the transglutaminase 2, a crucial marker not only of aggressive and drug-resistance tumors but also of other pathologies, such as celiac disease. I have deeply studied both the gene, its transcriptional variants, and the mechanisms of their generation in cancer, as well as the biological and pathological functions of the protein. In particular, I am investigating the effects of inhibitors of this enzyme and the modulated pathway and networks of gene involved.

Relevant publications:

1.         Metabolic characterisation of transglutaminase 2 inhibitor effects in breast cancer cell lines.

Gallo M, Ferrari E, Terrazzan A, Brugnoli F, Spisni A, Taccioli C, Aguiari G, Trentini A, Volinia S, Keillor JW, Bergamini CM, Bianchi N, Pertinhez TA.FEBS J. 2023 Aug 19. doi: 10.1111/febs.16931. Online ahead of print.

2.         Inverse Impact of Cancer Drugs on Circular and Linear RNAs in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Terrazzan A, Crudele F, Corrà F, Ancona P, Palatini J, Bianchi N, Volinia S.Noncoding RNA. 2023 May 19;9(3):32. doi: 10.3390/ncrna9030032.

3.         Cell-Impermeable Inhibitors Confirm That Intracellular Human Transglutaminase 2 Is Responsible for the Transglutaminase-Associated Cancer Phenotype. Gates EWJ, Calvert ND, Cundy NJ, Brugnoli F, Navals P, Kirby A, Bianchi N, Adhikary G, Shuhendler AJ, Eckert RL, Keillor JW.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Aug 8;24(16):12546. doi: 10.3390/ijms241612546.

4.         Circulating microRNAs Suggest Networks Associated with Biological Functions in Aggressive Refractory Type 2 Celiac Disease. Bianchi N, Doneda L, Elli L, Taccioli C, Vaira V, Scricciolo A, Lombardo V, Terrazzan A, Colapietro P, Terranova L, Bergamini C, Vecchi M, Scaramella L, Nandi N, Roncoroni L.Biomedicines. 2022 Jun 14;10(6):1408. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10061408.

5.         Dysregulation of Transglutaminase type 2 through GATA3 defines aggressiveness and Doxorubicin sensitivity in breast cancer. Aguiari G, Crudele F, Taccioli C, Minotti L, Corrà F, Keillor JW, Grassilli S, Cervellati C, Volinia S, Bergamini CM, Bianchi N.Int J Biol Sci. 2022 Jan 1;18(1):1-14. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.64167. eCollection 2022.

6.         A Multidisciplinary Approach Establishes a Link between Transglutaminase 2 and the Kv10.1 Voltage-Dependent K+ Channel in Breast Cancer. Canella R, Brugnoli F, Gallo M, Keillor JW, Terrazzan A, Ferrari E, Grassilli S, Gates EWJ, Volinia S, Bertagnolo V, Bianchi N, Bergamini CM.Cancers (Basel). 2022 Dec 28;15(1):178. doi: 10.3390/cancers15010178.

7.         Machine Learning Algorithms Highlight tRNA Information Content and Chargaff's Second Parity Rule Score as Important Features in Discriminating Probiotics from Non-Probiotics. Bergamini CM, Bianchi N, Giaccone V, Catellani P, Alberghini L, Stella A, Biffani S, Yaddehige SK, Bobbo T, Taccioli C.Biology (Basel). 2022 Jul 7;11(7):1024. doi: 10.3390/biology11071024.

8.         The Motility and Mesenchymal Features of Breast Cancer Cells Correlate with the Levels and Intracellular Localization of Transglutaminase Type 2. Bianchi N, Brugnoli F, Grassilli S, Bourgeois K, Keillor JW, Bergamini CM, Aguiari G, Volinia S, Bertagnolo V.Cells. 2021 Nov 6;10(11):3059. doi: 10.3390/cells10113059.

9.         Inhibition of the lncRNA Coded within Transglutaminase 2 Gene Impacts Several Relevant Networks in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells. Bergamini CM, Vischioni C, Aguiari G, Grandi C, Terrazzan A, Volinia S, Bianchi N, Taccioli C.Noncoding RNA. 2021 Aug 18;7(3):49. doi: 10.3390/ncrna7030049.PMID: 34449674

10. A validated cellular biobank for β-thalassemia. Cosenza LC, Breda L, Breveglieri G, Zuccato C, Finotti A, Lampronti I, Borgatti M, Chiavilli F, Gamberini MR, Satta S, Manunza L, De Martis FR, Moi P, Rivella S, Gambari R, Bianchi N.J Transl Med. 2016 Sep 2;14(1):255. doi: 10.1186/s12967-016-1016-4.