Research Group: Ilaria Canobbio, Gianni Guidetti, Mauro Torti

Circulating blood platelets play a crucial role in haemostasis, thrombosis, but also in additional processes such as inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer metastasis. Understanding the exact contribution of platelets to these events is a big challenge for the future and may provide promising opportunities in biomedicine. Our research activity focuses on the following topics:
1) Platelet signal transduction pathways in thrombosis and haemostasis
The understanding of the mechanisms supporting platelet activation is critical for the identification of novel pharmacological targets for thrombotic diseases, which represent a major cause of death in western countries.
2) Amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism and function in platelets: a novel link between cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation in brain of peptides deriving from APP. Platelets express high level of APP and release amyloid peptides in the circulation. We use both in vitro and in vivo approaches to understand the effects of amyloid peptides in plasma, the role of platelet-derived amyloid peptides in AD onset and progression and the contribution of APP in platelet physiology and in haemostasis.
3) Contribution of platelets and platelet-derived microparticles to cancer metastasis.
Platelets are key players in cancer spread, and inhibition of platelet activation could represent a novel approach to control metastasis. We aim to understand the molecular mechanisms for the contribution of platelets to cancer spread, focusing on the role of platelet-derived microparticles, which are small vesicles released upon platelet activation and represent important carriers of biological signals.

Recent Publications:

• Canobbio I, Visconte C, Momi S, Guidetti GF, Zarà M, Canino J, Falcinelli E, Gresele P, Torti M. Platelet amyloid precursor protein is a modulator of venous thromboembolism in mice. Blood. 2017 [Epub ahead of print]
• Guidetti GF, Zarà M, Canobbio I, Visconte C, Di Nunzio G, Torti M. Novel pharmacological inhibitors demonstrate the role of the tyrosine kinase Pyk2 in adhesion and aggregation of human platelets. Thromb Haemost. 2016;116(5):904-917.
• Canobbio I, Cipolla L, Guidetti GF, Manganaro D, Visconte C, Kim S, Okigaki M, Falasca M, Kunapuli SP, Torti M. The focal adhesion kinase Pyk2 links Ca2+ signalling to Src family kinase activation and protein tyrosine phosphorylation in thrombin-stimulated platelets. Biochem J. 2015;469(2):199-210.