Principal Investigators: Prof. Stefania Recalcati

Members: Prof. Elena Gammella, Dr. Margherita Correnti

The group’s research activity is focused on the study of molecular mechanism that control the expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism.

The group’s studies helped to highlight the importance of alterations in the regulation of iron regulatory proteins expression in pathological conditions such as genetic hemochromatosis, metabolic liver diseases, oxidative stress, inflammation, tumors, stress erythropoiesis and oxygen starvation. The research was carried out by integrating in vitro and in vivo approaches (including human studies through collaborations with italian and international clinical groups).

Current research lines concern two areas, in particular:

• Iron and Inflammation / Tumors

The research regards the relationships between iron and the inflammatory response. In particular, recently, the study is focalized on the alterations of iron metabolism in various cells populations in the tumor microenvironment, in particular macrophages (different kind of tumor are investigated).  For this purpose, the group developed a model of genetically modified mice with selective inactivation in the macrophage lineage of ferroportin, the protein that exports iron from cells.

• Iron and Erythropoiesis / Hypoxia

      The research regards the relationships between alterations in iron metabolism and stress erythropoies, such as erythropoiesis induced by high altitude hypoxia..

Recent Publications:

• Raggi C., Gammella E., Correnti M., Buratti P., Forti E., Andersen J.B., Alpini G., Glaser S., Alvaro D., Invernizzi P., Cairo G. and Recalcati S. Dysregulation of Iron Metabolism in Cholangiocarcinoma Stem-like Cells. Sci Rep. (2017). 7:17667-17679

• Recalcati S., Gammella E. and Cairo G. Dysregulation of iron metabolism in cancer stem cells. Free Radic Biol Med. (2019). 133: 216-220

• Recalcati S., Gammella E., Buratti P., Doni A., Anselmo A., Locati M. and Cairo G. Macrophage ferroportin is essential for stromal cell proliferation in wound healing. Haematologica. (2019). 104: 47-58

• Recalcati S., Correnti M., Gammella E., Raggi C., Invernizzi P. and Cairo G. Iron Metabolism in Liver Cancer Stem Cells. Front Oncol. (2019). 9: 149- eCollection

• Robach P., Gammella E., Recalcati S., Girelli D., Castagna A., Roustit M., Lundby C., Lundby A.K., Bouzat P., Vergès S., Séchaud G., Banco P., Uhr M., Cornu C., Sallet P., Cairo G. Induction of erythroferrone in healthy humans by micro-dose recombinant erythropoietin or high-altitude exposure. Haematologica. (2021). 106: 384-390

• Gammella E., Lomoriello I.S., Conte A., Freddi S., Alberghini A., Poli M., Sigismund S., Cairo G., Recalcati S. Unconventional endocytosis and trafficking of Transferrin Receptor induced by iron. Mol. Biol. Cell. (2021). 32: 98-108

Contacts:

Prof. Gammella/Dr. Correnti: tel.0250315330 elena.gammella@unim.itmargherita.correnti@unimi.it