Daniela Quaglino
Daniela Quaglino
e-mail:
affiliation: Università di Modena-Reggio Emilia
research area(s): Experimental Medicine, Cell Biology
Course: Molecular and Regenerative Medicine
University/Istitution: Università di Modena-Reggio Emilia
Daniela Quaglino has received a degree in Biological Science cum laude at the University of Modena in 1984, and a PhD in Experimental Pathology in 1992 at the University of Bologna (Italy). She became Assistant Professor in General Pathology and Oncology in 1992 at the University of Modena (Faculty of Science). Since 2001 she is Associate Professor in General Pathology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Faculty of Science from 2001 up to 2004 and Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology from 2004-present).
She has been Visiting Postdoc Research Fellow at the Dept. Pathology, Vanderbilt University (USA) in 1988 and 1989; Visiting Research Associate at the Dept. Pathology, Vanderbilt University (USA) in 1993.
She is fellow of the following national and international societies: SISM (It. Soc. Microscopic Sciences) formerly SIME since 1985; ABCD (It. Soc. Cell Biol. And Differentiation) since 1985; SIP (It. Soc. Pathology) since 1986; MSA (Microscopy Society of America ex EMSA) since 1989; SISC (It. Soc. Connective Tissue) since 1991; New York Academy of Sciences since 1994; ISMB (Int. Soc. Matrix Biology) since 1995; AICC (It. Ass. Cell Cultures) since 1999; Proteome Society since 2002; ItPA (It. Proteomic Association) since 2006. Within SISM, she served as Member of the Board (2000-2001), Vicepresident (2002-2003) and President (2004-2005 and 2006-2007). Within SISC, she served in the Board of the Society as Treasurer (1999-2001 and 2002-2004) and thereafter as Secretary (2005-2007 and 2008-2010). Within SIP she served as component of the Executive Board (2009-2010 and 2011-2012).
Over the last two decades, the research activity has been mainly focused on the biology and pathology of the extracellular matrix and on the alterations occurring in the skin and in blood vessels during aging or in acquired as well as in genetic diseases, specially focusing on the role of the elastic component. Elastin is mainly synthesized in the perinatal period and thereafter is susceptible to endogenous as well as exogenous noxae, therefore represent an important target in order to preserve the morpho-functional properties of connective tissues (i.e. skin, cardiovascular system, lungs….), being degeneration, degradation and calcification of the elastin components are among the major alterations occurring with ageing. Research deals with a better understanding of elastin and elastic fiber components as well as of mesenchymal cells proteomics for healthy ageing. Moreover, she participated to the international task force working on the discovery of the PXE gene, and has been investigating the molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a rare genetic disorder charaxcterized by progressive mineralization of elastic fibers, thus severely affecting organs as skin, eyes and the cardiovascular system. Research activities are focused on the identification of molecules involved in the calcification process and on the characterization of changes in the behaviour and in the protein profile of PXE fibroblasts.
1. Tamburro AM, Pepe A, Bochicchio B, Quaglino D, Pasquali-Ronchetti I.Supramolecular amyloid-like assembly of the polypeptide sequence coded by exon 30 of human tropoelastin. J Biol Chem. 280:2682-90, 2005
2. Gheduzzi D, Guerra D, Bochicchio B, Pepe A, Tamburro AM, Quaglino D, Mithieux S, Weiss AS, Pasquali Ronchetti I.Heparan sulphate interacts with tropoelastin, with some tropoelastin peptides and is present in human dermis elastic fibers. Matrix Biol. 24:15-25, 2005
3. Quaglino D., Sartor L., Garbisa, S., Boraldi F., Croce A., Passi A., De Luca G., Tiozzo R., Pasquali-Ronchetti I. Dermal fibroblasts from Pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients have raised MMP-2 degradative potential. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1741: 42-47, 2005
4. Pepe A, Guerra D, Bochicchio B, Quaglino D, Gheduzzi D, Pasquali Ronchetti I, Tamburro AM. Dissection of human tropoelastin: Supramolecular organization of polypeptide sequences coded by particular exons.Matrix Biol. 24:96-109, 2005.
5. Boraldi F., Tonelli M., Gheduzzi D., Pasquali Ronchetti I., Quaglino D. Identification of mineralized elastic fibers on wet samples by SEM. Microsc. Res. Tech. 67: 296-299, 2005
6. Pasquali Ronchetti I., Gracia-Fernandez MI., Boraldi F., Quaglino D., Gheduzzi D., Paolinelli DeVincenzi C., Tiozzo R., Bergamini S., Ceccarelli D., Muscatello U. Oxidative stress in fibroblsdtas from patients with pseudoxanthoma elasticum: possibile role in the pathogenesis of clinical manifestations. J. Pathol., 208: 54-61, 2006
7. Gheduzzi D, Boraldi F, Annovi G, DeVincenzi CP, Schurgers LJ, Vermeer C, Quaglino D, Pasquali-Ronchetti I. Matrix Gla protein is involved in elastic fiber calcification in the dermis of pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients. Lab Invest. 87:998-1008, 2007.
8. Boraldi F, Annovi G, Carraro F, Naldini A, Tiozzo R, Sommer P, Quaglino D. Hypoxia influences the cellular cross-talk of human dermal fibroblasts. A proteomic approach. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1774:1402-13, 2007
9. Boraldi F. Annovi G., Paolinelli-Devincenzi C., Tiozzo R., Quaglino D. The effect of serum withdrawal on the protein profile of quiescent human dermal fibroblasts in primary cell culture. Proteomics 8:66-82, 2008
10. Pezet M, Jacob MP, Escoubet B, Gheduzzi D, Tillet E, Perret P, Huber P, Quaglino D, Vranckx R, Li DY, Starcher B, Boyle WA, Mecham RP, Faury G. Elastin Haploinsufficiency Induces Alternative Aging Processes in the Aorta. Rejuvenation Res. 11: 97-112, 2008
11. Pepe A., Flamis R., Guerra D., Quaglino D., Bochicchio B., Pasquali-Ronchetti I., Tamburo AM. Exon 26-coded polipeptide: an isolated hydrophobic domain of human tropoelastin able to self-assemble in vitro. Matrix Biology, 27:441-50,2008
12. Garcia-Fernandez MI, Gheduzzi D, Boraldi F, Paolinelli CD, Sanchez P, Valdivielso P, Morilla MJ, Quaglino D, Guerra D, Casolari S, Bercovitch L, Pasquali-Ronchetti I. Parameters of oxidative stress are present in the circulation of PXE patients.Biochim Biophys Acta. 1782:474-81, 2008
13. Boraldi F., Annovi G., Guerra D., Paolinelli DeVincenzi C., Garcia-Fernandez MI., Panico F., De Santis G., Tiozzo R., Ronchetti I. Quaglino D. Fibroblast protein profile analysis highlights the role of oxidative stress and vitamin-K recycling in the pathogenesis of Pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Proteomics-Clin.Appl., 3: 1-15 2009
14. Quaglino D., Boraldi F., Annovi G., Guerra D. and Ronchetti I.Connective tissue and diseases: from morphology to proteomics towards the development of new therapeutic approaches. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. – From Bed to Bench 2:S56-S65, 2009
15. Pisciotta L., Tarugi P., Borrini C., Belloccio A., Fresa R., Guerra D., Quaglino D., Ronchetti I., Calandra S., Bertolini S. Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum And Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Deleterious Combination of Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Atherosclerosis, 210:173-6, 2010
16. Vanakker O., Martin L., Schurgers L., Quaglino D., Vermeer C., Pasquali-Ronchetti I., Coucke P., De Paepe A. Low serum vitamin K in PXE results in defective carboxylation of mineralization inhibitors similar to the GGCX mutations in the PXE-like syndrome. Lab Invest, 90:895-905, 2010
17. Boraldi F., Annovi G., Tiozzo R., Sommer P., Quaglino D. Comparison of ex-vivo and in-vitro human fibroblast ageing models. Mech Ageing Dev, 131:625-35, 2010
18. Mariko B, Pezet M, Escoubet B, Bouillot S, Andrieu JP, Starcher B, Quaglino D, Jacob MP, Huber P, Ramirez F, Faury G. Fibrillin-1 genetic deficiency leads to pathological ageing of arteries in mice. J Pathol. 2011;224:33-44.
Project Title:
On the pathogenesis of ectopic calcifications.
Ectopic calcification is the unwanted mineralization of soft connective tissues. Several studies indicate that the magnitude of vascular calcification is directly associated, for instance, with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Ectopic calcification may frequently occur as a complication of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, in diabetes, in renal disorders, after anticoagulant therapy or in certain genetic disorders (GGCX, VKOR, ABCC6).
Mutations in the ABCC6 gene are associated to pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a genetic disease characterized by progressive mineralization of elastic fibers, thus affecting dermis, cardiovascular system and eyes. The pathogenesis of the disease is still unknown.
In the course of the project the molecular pathways involved in the calcification process will be investigated in the PXE model in order to identify possible druggable targets.
Major techniques to be applied: cell cultures, RNA and protein analyses by (RT-PCR, 2D-GE, WB, FACS, confocal microscopy, mass spectrometry).