Scientific Programme

Evidence in neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, among others) implicates inflammation as central player in these processes other than a simple consequence of neurodegeneration. It is well established that protein aggregates, often encountered common pathological event in neurodegeneration, trigger neuroinflammation though, inflammation has been reported earlier than protein aggregation. Furthermore, genetic variations in CNS cells or immune cells may lead to neuroinflammation and protein deposition in susceptible population. Several signaling pathways and distinct CNS cells (e.g. astroglia and microglia) are implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, although our knowledge is far from being satisfactory. This situation is reflected in the limited success of available treatments. Actually, halting or potentiating inflammatory signaling pathways implicated in neurodegeneration appear promising strategies for rationale control of neurodegenerative diseases. The organizers of this monothematic meeting welcome original contributions to the field by young scientists and bring together a group of internationally recognized scientist to guide a live discussion of the several themes proposed.

Scientific Committee

Giacinto Bagetta, Filippo Caraci, M. Tiziana Corasaniti, Elena Marcello, Luigi A. Morrone, Diana Amantea, Eugenio Donato Di Paola, Laura Rombolà, Rossella Russo, Annagrazia Adornetto, Damiana Scuteri, Ramona Stringhi, Giorgia Gullotta.

Scientific Secretariat

Damiana Scuteri (Catanzaro)

Damiana.scuteri@unicz.it

Thursday, July 16th

14:00-15:00 Registration and Poster mounting

15:00-15:15 Opening Remarks

Marco Pistis, Fabrizio Gardoni, Mariarosaria Bucci

15:15-15:30 Congress Presentation

Giacinto Bagetta, Filippo Caraci

15:30-16:30 Opening Lecture - Chair: Giacinto Bagetta

Astrocyte in central nervous system (CNS) physiology and diseases: a potential therapeutic target

Andrea Volterra

Wyss Center for Bio and Neuro Engineering, Campus Biotech, Geneva

16:30-16:45 Coffee Break

16:45-18:30 Oral Communications session I - Chairs: Carla Ghelardini, Anna Pittaluga

C1) Investigating Cellular Prion Protein (PrP c) and TGF 1-receptors interactions in microglia and neurons in response to tau oligomers

Giorgia Gullotta (Troina)

C2) Astrocyte–Neuron Crosstalk in Neuroinflammation: Insights from Conditioned Media and Co-Culture Approaches

Chiara Cimetti (Bologna)

C3) Deciphering the role of CAP2 in neuronal mitochondrial vulnerability in Alzheimer’s Disease

Ramona Stringhi (Milano)

C4) ASIC1a inhibition reverses Aβ-induced synaptic dysfunction and microglial alteration in an ex vivo model of Alzheimer’s disease

Nunzia Maisto (Roma)

C5) Targeting ADAM10 activity promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease

Laura D’Andrea (Milano)

C6) Tunneling Nanotubes and Mitochondrial Dynamics as Key Modulators of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration

Silvia Carloni (Urbino)

C7) Investigating presynaptic "prunability" and complement-mediated synapse loss in neuroinflammatory and demyelinating disease models: novel pharmacological targets for neuroprotection

Veronica Torre (Genova)

C8) Development of an in vitro human brain-based 3D system to study the modulation of neuroinflammatory mechanisms and carnosine neuroprotective activity

Giuseppe Caruso (Roma)

18:30 -19:00 Lifetime Achievement Award for Scientific and Academic Merit

Selection Committee: Giovanni Biggio, Achille P. Caputi, Giorgio A. Racagni

19:00 -20:30 Poster session

Chairs: Francesca Guida, Giuseppe Pignataro

P1) KIF5A Protein Ameliorates Spinal Muscular Atrophy Phenoptype In Mice Smnδ7

Giusy Laudati (Napoli)

P2) Tiresia: Digital Twin, Immunity, And Micro Rna In The Evolution of Stroke in the Acute Phase

Mariassunta d’Onofrio (Napoli)

P3) Oxygen-rich extra virgin olive oil (Ozoile Food) provides antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in a mouse model of ischemic stroke

Marco Parise (Rende, Cosenza)

P4) Autophagy Modulation in a Murine Model of Cuprizone-Induced Demyelination

Elisabetta Benfatto (Rende, Cosenza)

P5) Dysregulation of NEGR1 in the 3xTg Alzheimer’s Mouse Model and in iPSC Derived Astrocytes

Martina Rubino (Bologna)

P6) Modulation of Oxidative Stress and α-Synuclein Accumulation by Troxerutin in In Vitro Models of Parkinson’s Disease

Deborah Mannino (Messina)

P7) Alterations of monoaminergic transmission and tryptophan metabolism in early experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: relevance to neuroinflammation and anhedonic symptoms

Guendalina Olivero (Genova)

P8) Brain Boosters from Cannabis: CBGA and CBDA Show Promise in Beating Memory Loss Rebecca Limongelli (Napoli)

P9) Effects of fluoxetine in an animal model of Traumatic Brain Injury: focus on TGF-1 signaling pathway

Sofia Varrasi (Catania)

P10) Unraveling the Dual Signaling Pathway of Astrocytic Oxytocin Receptor

Elisa Farsetti (Genova)

P11) Role of the cytokine eNAMPT in controlling neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease

Laura Cucinotta (Messina)

P12) Biocompatibility and Toxicological Characterization of Bergamot Essential Oil for Future Neuroprotective Applications

Maria Loreta Libero (Chieti)

P13) Targeting GLT-1 and PPAR-α: Dual Therapy with Ceftriaxone and PEA Alleviates Neuropathic Pain and Neuroinflammation in SNI Mice

Emanuele Di Martino (Napoli)

P14) Allopregnanolone attenuates LPS-induced neuroinflammation in human microglial HMC3 cells: implications for catamenial epilepsy treatment

Emma Sartori (Monza)

P15) A multi-target formulation of parthenolide, PEA and c-phycocyanin prevents microglia-mediate blood-brain barrier dysfunction in vitro

Leonardo Camillò (Pavia)

P16) Modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis via bergamot essential oil: a multi-target approach to mitigate systemic triggers of neuroinflammation

Enrica De Rasis (Rende, Cosenza)

P17) CDK9 inhibition preserves blood-brain barrier integrity and attenuates microglial activation in an in vitro model of sepsis-induced neuroinflammation

Enrica Marzani (Torino)

P18) FK506-mediated inhibition of astrocytic calcineurin counteracts Aβ1-42-induced neuroinflammation via the TGFβ1 SMAD dependent signaling pathway

Giuseppe Costantino (Troina, Enna)

P19) Targeting Carbonic Anhydrases as a Therapeutic Strategy to Prevent Memory Loss and Neuropathological Progression in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alessia Costa (Firenze)

P20) Lysine at the edge: dietary metabolism, blood-brain barrier permeation, and neuroinflammatory responses

Enrica Marzani (Torino)

P21) Targeting CDK9 attenuates neuroinflammation and microglial activation in sepsisassociated encephalopathy

Gustavo Ferreira Alves (Torino)

P22) Hypoxia accelerates microglial switch from a protective to a proinflammatory phenotype and compromises mitochondrial function in an in vitro model of Alzheimer’s disease

Cristiana Lipari (Catania)

P23) Targeting Carbonic Anhydrases as a Therapeutic Strategy to Prevent Memory Loss and Neuropathological Progression in Alzheimer’s Disease

Gustavo Provensi (Firenze)

P24) Short-term multi-polymer nanoplastic exposure along the gut-brain axis: neuroinflammatory and synaptic implications

Marianna Rizzo (Pavia)

P25) Skin–Brain Axis Dysregulation in Diet-Induced Obesity and Amyloid-β Neurotoxicity: Implications for Neurodegenerative Biomarkers

Rossella Palmieri (Foggia)

P26) Can the Mediterranean Diet Modulate Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease? Protocol, Design and Ongoing Assessment of the MED-PARK Randomized Controlled Trial

Elena Maria Pirovano (Varese)

P27) Circulating miRNAs as Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers of Remote Ischemic

Conditioning in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Translational Insights from the TRICS-9 Trial

Rohan Mahesh Patil (Napoli)

P28) PIWIL2 Drives Stroke Progression via Modulation of NF-κB Signaling

Rohan Mahesh Patil (Napoli)

P29) piRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory triads in the post-ischemic brain: a genome-wide multi-layer analysis using TriadMap

Rohan Mahesh Patil (Napoli)

P30) Transcription factor mRNA levels in Circulating CD4+ T cells Predict Phenoconversion to Established Neurodegeneration in Idiopathic REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Monica Pinoli (Varese)

21:30 Social Dinner

Friday, July 17th

9:00-10:00 Keynote Lecture - Chair: Giovambattista De Sarro

The contribution of ion channel research to therapeutic innovation in epilepsy

Maurizio Taglialatela

Department of Neuroscience, University Federico II, Naples

10:00-10:30 Invited Lecture - Chair: Walter Balduini

Targeting microglia in epilepsy

Rita Citraro

Department of Health Science, University of Catanzaro

10:30-11:30 Oral Communications Session II - Chairs: Fabrizio Gardoni, Ramona Stringhi

C9) Targeting PPAR-α to Modulate Neuroinflammation and Neurosteroidogenesis: A Novel Pharmacological Strategy with Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Claudia Cristiano (Napoli)

C10) CCR1 Antagonism by BX471 Mitigates Neuroinflammation and Nigrostriatal Degeneration in an MPTP-mouse model of Parkinson Disease

Ardizzone Alessio (Roma)

C11) BACE1 as an innovative pharmacological targeting for counteracting Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy

Gabrielle Delfrate (Torino)

C12) Serotonergic modulation of neuroinflammatory pathways as a potential target relevant to neurodegenerative disorders: sex-dependent effects of psilocybin microdosing

Sofia Nasini (Padova)

C13) Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide targets neuroinflammation to enhance analgesia and delay opioid tolerance

Laura Micheli (Firenze)

C14) The Dual Role of REST in ALS: Therapeutic Target and Prognostic Biomarker

Luigi Formisano (Napoli)

11:40-12:00 Coffee Break

12:00-12:25 Invited Lecture - Chair: Pierluigi Nicotera

Neuropsychiatric challenges in neurodegenerative diseases: NanoBEO first in a class tool in the armamentarium

Damiana Scuteri

Department of Health Science, University of Catanzaro

12:25-13.40 Oral Communications Session III –  Chairs: Diana Amantea, Luigi A. Morrone

C15) Systemic immune activation in early adulthood induces long-term synaptic, circuit and neuromodulatory dysfunction in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Andrea Mastio (Cagliari)

C16) Unraveling the gut-brain axis: N-palmitoyl-D-glucosamine in dysbiosis-driven pain

Federica Ricciardi (Napoli)

C17) Circadian Reprogramming of Skeletal Muscle Metabolism Primes a Preconditioned State for Hypoxic Stress in Ischemic Stroke

Rohan Mahesh Patil (Napoli)

C18) Decoding Vulvodynia: from pelvic sensitivity to central pain processing

Michela Perrone (Napoli)

C19) Maternal Hypoxic Preconditioning Attenuates Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage: Focus on Exosomes

Giovanna Lombardi (Napoli)

C20) Gnao1 Regulates Astrocytic Reactivity in the Midbrain of the A53T-α-Synuclein Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Michele Tufano (Napoli)

13:45-14:30 Light Lunch

14:30-14:55 Invited Lecture - Chair: Eugenio Barone

Neurobiological links between depression and Alzheimer disease: Novel pharmacological targets

Filippo Caraci

Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania

14:55-16:30 Oral Communication Session IV - Chairs: Rossella Russo, Giorgia Gullotta

C21) Targeting the EZH2/H3K27me3 Axis Rescues CDK5/p53 Signaling, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Neuroinflammation in an In Vitro Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Sarah Adriana Scuderi (Messina)

C22) Astrocyte activation beyond neuroinflammation: implications for oligodendrocyte maturation in Alzheimer’s disease

Caterina Scuderi (Roma)

C23) Myrcene as a potential natural treatment in mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)

Viviana Iodice (Napoli)

C24) Implications Of The Kynurenine Pathway In The Pathogenesis Of Spinal Muscular

Atrophy

Giusy Laudati (Napoli)

C25) Tumour necrosis factor-α-stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6): a novel neuroprotective

mediator in acute ischemic stroke

Chiara Di Santo (Rende, Cosenza)

C26) Progesterone and Pregnenolone Attenuate LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation in

Human Microglia: Potential Therapeutic Implications for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Ramona Meanti (Monza)

C27) Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of JNJ-37822681 in an in vitro model

of neuroinflammation

Lorenza Guarnieri (Catanzaro)

16:30-16:45 SIF Awards for Best Poster and Oral Communications