Ricerc@Sapienza

The research activity concerns the hepatological field and is aimed at the development of a diagnostic / prognostic pathway of chronic fat storage diseases both on an alcoholic and metabolic basis and on hepatocarcinoma, which combines different disciplinary skills (Translational Medicine) and oriented on subgroups of patients with the same disease (Precision Medicine). With this in mind, in order to analyze in depth the relative weight of the individual pathogenetic mechanisms, the studies are designed and the patients are enrolled by collecting the clinical, demographic, nutritional and genetic predisposition data well known in the literature, in order to be able to stratify them in subgroups and to weigh the role of other pathogenetic factors of interest.

The pathologies of interest are "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)," Metabolic associated fatty liver disease "(MAFLD), chronic alcoholic liver disease and hepatocarcinoma.

From an analytical point of view, the group is specialized in PCR assay for the study of genetic polymorphisms and gene expression and in gene analysis and samples preparation for the examination of the methylation profile (epigenetics).

Furthermore, thanks to external collaborations that include the preparation phase of the samples in our laboratory, specimens are analyzed using enzymatic activity assay to measure the activity of Lysosomal Acid Lipase, isotope-dilution Gas Chromatography Triple Quadrupole Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode and Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC MS-MS) system, in Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode, to measure the blood and tissue concentration of environmental interferents, such as organic pollutants, in the lipid metabolism. Moreover biospecimens are also prepared to assay lipid composition of intrahepatocyte lipid droplets using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectrocopy.

Finally, thanks to the use of the software Slice-O-Matic software (version 5.0; Tomovision, Montreal, Canada) software applied to CT and MRI images, changes in the body composition (skeletal muscle mass and subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue) of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma are evaluated, to identify and correct predictors of reduced survival after various types of locoregional therapy and after liver transplantation.