Study of HLA class II genes expression in antigen presenting cells from patients affected by celiac disease and other autoimmune pathologies.

Understanding the role of new biomarkers  in relationship to different stages of celiac disease

Monitoring of antigen specific CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes activation, in patients and healthy donors, following Sars-Cov2 vaccine administration, by flow cytometry immunophenotyping.

Unraveling the role of PA2G4 oncogene  in glioblastoma  and bladder cancer. Characterization of structure and function of PA2G4P4 pseudogene

• Effect of Gliadin Stimulation on HLA-DQ2.5 Gene Expression in Macrophages from Adult Celiac Disease Patients. Farina F, Pisapia L, Laezza M, Serena G, Rispo A, Ricciolino S, Gianfrani C, Fasano A, Del Pozzo G. Biomedicines. 2021 Dec 29;10(1):63.doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10010063.
• HLA class II genes in precision-based care of childhood diseases: what we can learn from celiac disease. Del Pozzo G, Farina F, Picascia S, Laezza M, Vitale S, Gianfrani C. Pediatr Res. 2021 Jan;89(2):307-312. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-01217-4.
• Differential expression of predisposing HLA-DQ2.5 alleles in DR5/DR7 celiac disease patients affects the pathological immune response to gluten. Pisapia L, Picascia S, Farina F, Barba P, Gianfrani C, Del Pozzo G.Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 14;10(1):17227. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-73907-2.
• Role of PA2G4P4 pseudogene in bladder cancer tumorigenesis. Pisapia L, Terreri S, Barba P, Mastroianni M, Donnini M, Mercadante V, Palmieri A, Verze P, Mirone V, Altieri V, Califano G, Liguori GL, Strazzullo M, Cimmino A, Del Pozzo G.Biology (Basel). 2020 Mar 31;9(4):66. doi: 10.3390/biology9040066.
• Tristetraprolin/ZFP36 Regulates the Turnover of Autoimmune-Associated HLA-DQ mRNAs.Pisapia L, Hamilton RS, Farina F, D'Agostino V, Barba P, Strazzullo M, Provenzani A, Gianfrani C, Del Pozzo G.Cells. 2019 Dec 4;8(12):1570. doi: 10.3390/cells8121570.
• HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 Alleles, Conferring Susceptibility to Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes, are More Expressed Than Non-Predisposing Alleles and are Coordinately Regulated.Farina F, Picascia S, Pisapia L, Barba P, Vitale S, Franzese A, Mozzillo E, Gianfrani C, Del Pozzo G G.Cells. 2019 Jul 19;8(7):751. doi: 10.3390/cells8070751.
• The HLA-DRB1 risk alleles for multiple sclerosis are differentially expressed in blood cells of patients from Southern Italy.Pisapia L, Cerillo I, Farina F, Zimbardo A, Barba P, Orefice G, Gianfrani C, Strazzullo M, Del Pozzo G.Int J Immunogenet. 2019 Dec;46(6):479-484. doi: 10.1111/iji.12450. Epub 2019 Jul 17.
• Expression level of risk genes of MHC class II is a susceptibility factor for autoimmunity: New insights.Gianfrani C, Pisapia L, Picascia S, Strazzullo M, Del Pozzo G.J Autoimmun. 2018 May;89:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.12.016. Epub 2018 Jan 10.
• HLA-DQ2.5 genes associated with celiac disease risk are preferentially expressed with respect to non-predisposing HLA genes: Implication for anti-gluten T cell response. Pisapia L, Camarca A, Picascia S, Bassi V, Barba P, Del Pozzo G, Gianfrani C.J Autoimmun. 2016 Jun;70:63-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2016.03.016. Epub 2016 Apr 12.PMID: 27083396
• EBP1 protein modulates the expression of human MHC class II molecules in non-hematopoietic cancer cells. Pisapia L, Barba P, Cortese A, Cicatiello V, Morelli F, Del Pozzo G.Int J Oncol. 2015 Aug;47(2):481-9. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2015.3051.
• Co-regulated expression of alpha and beta mRNAs encoding HLA-DR surface heterodimers is mediated by the MHCII RNA operon. Pisapia L, Cicatiello V, Barba P, Malanga D, Maffei A, Hamilton RS, Del Pozzo G.Nucleic Acids Res. 2013 Apr 1;41(6):3772-86. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkt059.
• EBP1 and DRBP76/NF90 binding proteins are included in the major histocompatibility complex class II RNA operon. Corso C, Pisapia L, Citro A, Cicatiello V, Barba P, Cigliano L, Abrescia P, Maffei A, Manco G, Del Pozzo G.Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Sep 1;39(16):7263-75. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr278. Epub 2011 May 29.

Education

1985  Laurea degree cum laude in Biological Science  at University of Naples Federico II, Italy

1987-1994  Fellowships from AIRC, ISS,CNR, EMBO

Research appointments

1994-2007        CNR Researcher Scientist

2004-present     Immunobiology Group leader  at Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR

2007 –present   CNR Senior Researcher Scientist

2021  Appointment as CNR member in the Scientific Committee for the evaluation of research activities of project "Adenoviral Genetic Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2"  (INMI L. Spallanzani )

Grants Support from Fondazione Italiana Celiachia, CNR-DSB Progetto Bandiera "InterOmics", FIRB-MIUR

Reviewer for ISI scientific journals  in the field of immunology and molecular biology

Supervisor of Master Degree and PhD theses at Federico II University and Luigi Vanvitelli University in  Naples