Phd in CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

email: emanuele.cacci@uniroma1.it
phone: 06 4991 2206
building: CU026 Fisiologia generale
room: 314-320

Full Name: Emanuele Cacci
Current position: Assistant Professor
Current address: Sapienza, University of Rome, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Piazzale Aldo Moro n. 5, 00185, Roma, Italia
Tel./Fax: +39 06 4991 2206/ +39 06 4991 2351
e-mail: emanuele.cacci@uniroma1.it

Education

- 2003 Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology University of Rome “La Sapienza”
- 1999 B.Sc. in Biology cum laude University of Rome “La Sapienza”

Employment and research experience

1997‐1999 Undergraduate student Dept. Of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”
1999-2003 graduate research student Dept. Of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”
2003-2006 Post Doctoral position in the group headed by Professors Olle Lindvall and Zaal Kokaia at the University Hospital of Lund (Sweden) at Stem Cell Center.
July-August 2015: Visiting scientist at Stem Cell Center, hosted by Prof Zaal Kokaia, at Stem Cell Center, University Hospital, Lund (Sweden)
June-July: Visiting scientist at Institute of di Scienze e Technology (IST) of Klosterneuburg (Austria) hosted by Prof Gaia Novarino,
Present position: Associate professor at Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza, University of Rome.

Teaching experience

2007-2008/2008-2009 lecture in “Methodologies to study the nervous system”
2012- present: lecturer in “Stem cells in the nervous system”
2022-present: lecture in "Biochemical and Molecular Diagnostics"
2022- present: lecture in "Analisi Biochimico Cliniche"

Research field

My research is mainly focused on studying: 1) the contribution of specific extrinsic and intrinsic factors controlling neural stem cell (NSCs) properties 2) the effects of neuroinflammation, mainly mediated by microglia and astrocytes, on neural stem cell (NSCs) maintenance, differentiation, and neuronal survival 3) the properties of NSCs and their neurogenic potential in the brain of adult mice under pathological conditions (e.g. autism spectrum disorders) and during aging.

Selected publication (last 15 years)

1. Giuliani A, Licursi V, Nisi PS, Fiore M, D'Angelo S, Biagioni S, Negri R, Rugg-Gunn PJ, Cacci E, Lupo G. Dbx2, an Aging-Related Homeobox. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2023 Nov;19(8):2837-2851. doi: 10.1007/s12015-023-10600-7.

2. Gioia R, Seri T, Diamanti T, Fimmanò S, Vitale M, Ahlenius H, Kokaia Z, Tirone F, Micheli L, Biagioni S, Lupo G, Rinaldi A, De Jaco A, Cacci E. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis and social behavioural deficits in the R451C Neuroligin3 mouse model of autism are reverted by the antidepressant fluoxetine. J Neurochem. 2023 May;165(3):318-333. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15753.

3. Quaresima S, Istiaq A, Jono H, Cacci E, Ohta K, Lupo G. Assessing the Role of Ependymal and Vascular Cells as Sources of Extracellular Cues Regulating the Mouse Ventricular-Subventricular Zone Neurogenic Niche. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Apr 5;10:845567. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.84556

4. Wang W, Di Nisio E, Licursi V, Cacci E, Lupo G, Kokaia Z, Galanti S, Degan P, D'Angelo S, Castagnola P, Tavella S, Negri R. Simulated Microgravity Modulates Focal Adhesion Gene Expression in Human Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Life (Basel). 2022 Nov 9;12(11):1827. doi: 10.3390/life12111827.

5. Morandell J, Schwarz LA, Basilico B, Tasciyan S, Dimchev G, Nicolas A, Sommer C, Kreuzinger C, Dotter CP, Knaus LS, Dobler Z, Cacci E, Schur FKM, Danzl JG, Novarino G. Cul3 regulates cytoskeleton protein homeostasis and cell migration during a critical window of brain development. Nat Commun. 2021 May 24;12(1):3058. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23123-x. PMID: 34031387

6. Stronati E, Biagioni S, Fiore M, Giorgi M, Poiana G, Toselli C, Cacci E. Wild-Type and Mutant FUS Expression Reduce Proliferation and Neuronal Differentiation Properties of Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 15;22(14):7566. doi: 10.3390/ijms22147566.


7. Poiana G, Gioia R, Sineri S, Cardarelli S, Lupo G, Cacci E. Transcriptional regulation of adult neural stem/progenitor cells: tales from the subventricular zone. Neural Regen Res. 2020 Oct;15(10):1773-1783. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.280301. Review.

8. Eleonora Stronati, Roberta Conti, Emanuele Cacci, Silvia Cardarelli, Stefano Biagioni, Giancarlo Poiana (2019). Exosome-induced differentiation of neural stem progenitor cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, Jul 27;20(15). pii: E3691. doi: 10.3390/ijms20153691

9. Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat, Angela Onori, Camilla Toselli, Eleonora Stronati, Mariangela Morlando, Irene Bozzoni, Emanuela Monni, Zaal Kokaia, Giuseppe Lupo, Luisa Minghetti, Stefano Biagioni, Emanuele Cacci (2019). Increased FUS levels in astrocytes leads to astrocyte and microglia activation and neuronal death. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 9, p. 1-15, ISSN: 2045-2322, doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41040-4.

10. Giuseppe Lupo, Roberta Gioia, Paola Serena Nisi, Stefano Biagioni, Emanuele Cacci (2019). Molecular mechanisms of neurogenic aging in the adult mouse subventricular zone. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 13, p. 1-10, ISSN: 1179-0695

11. Giuseppe Lupo, Silvana Gaetani, Emanuele Cacci, Stefano Biagioni, Rodolfo Negri (2019). Molecular signatures of the aging brain: finding the links between genes and phenotypes. NEUROTHERAPEUTICS, ISSN: 1933-7213, doi: 10.1007/s13311-019-00743-2.

12. Cera Arcangela Anna, Cacci Emanuele, Toselli Camilla, Cardarelli Silvia, Bernardi Alessandra, Gioia Roberta, Giorgi Mauro, Poiana Giancarlo, Biagioni Stefano (2018). Egr1 maintains NSC proliferation and its overexpression counteracts cell cycle exit triggered by the withdrawal of Epidermal Growth Factor. DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 40, p. 223-233, ISSN: 0378-5866, doi: 10.1159/000489699.

13. Lupo Giuseppe, Nisi Paola S, Esteve Pilar, Paul Yu-Lee, Novo Clara Lopes, Sidders Ben, Khan, Muhammad A, Biagioni Stefano, Liu Hai-Kun, Bovolenta Paola, Cacci Emanuele*, Rugg-Gunn, Peter J (2018). Molecular profiling of aged neural progenitors identifies Dbx2 as a candidate regulator of age-associated neurogenic decline. AGING CELL, vol. 17, p. 1-15, ISSN: 1474-9718, doi: 10.1111/acel.12745. *corresponding author.

14. Roberto Sacco, Emanuele Cacci, Gaia Novarino (2018). Neural stem cells in neuropsychiatric disorders. CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY, vol. 48, p. 131-138, ISSN: 0959-4388, doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.12.005.

15. Cacci Emanuele, Negri, Rodolfo, Biagioni, Stefano, Lupo, Giuseppe (2017). Histone methylation and microRNA-dependent regulation of epigenetic activities in neural progenitor self-renewal and differentiation. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 17, p. 794-807, ISSN: 1568-0266, doi: 10.2174/1568026616666160414124456.

16. Guglielmi L, Nardella M, Musa C, Iannetti I, Arisi I, D'Onofrio M, Storti A, Valentini A, Cacci Emanuele, Biagioni, S, Augusti Tocco G, D'Agnano I, Felsani A. (2017). Lamin A/C Is Required for ChAT-Dependent Neuroblastoma Differentiation. MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY, vol. 5, p. 3729-3744, ISSN: 0893-7648, doi: 10.1007/s12035-016-9902-6.

17. Guadagno Noemi Antonella, Moriconi Claudia, Licursi Valerio, D'acunto Emanuela, Nisi Paola Serena, Carucci, Nicoletta, De Jaco Antonella, Cacci Emanuele, Negri Rodolfo, Lupo Giuseppe, Miranda Banos Maria Elena (2017). Neuroserpin polymers cause oxidative stress in a neuronal model of the dementia FENIB. NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE, vol. 103, p. 32-44, ISSN: 0969-9961, doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.03.010.

18. Carucci Nicoletta, Cacci Emanuele, Nisi Paola Serena, Licursi Valerio, Paul, Yu Lee, Biagioni Stefano, Negri Rodolfo, Rugg Gunn, Peter J., Lupo, Giuseppe (2017). Transcriptional response of Hoxb genes to retinoid signalling is regionally restricted along the neural tube rostrocaudal axis. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE, vol. 4, ISSN: 2054-5703, doi: 10.1098/rsos.160913.

19. Soldati C, Caramanica P, Burney MJ, Toselli C, Bithell A, Augusti Tocco G, Stanton LW, Biagioni, S, Buckley NJ, Cacci Emanuele (2015). RE1 silencing transcription factor/neuron-restrictive silencing factor regulates expansion of adult mouse subventricular zone-derived neural stem/progenitor cells in vitro. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, vol. 8, p. 1203-1214, ISSN: 1097-4547, doi: 10.1002/jnr.23572.


20. Gioia Ubaldo, Valerio Di Carlo, Pasquale Caramanica, Camilla Toselli, Antonella Cinquino, Marcella Marchioni, Pietro Laneve, Stefano Biagioni, Irene Bozzoni, Emanuele Cacci*, Elisa Caffarelli (2014). miR-23a and miR-125b regulate neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation by targeting Musashi1. RNA BIOLOGY, vol. 11, p. 1105-1112, ISSN: 1547-6286, doi: 10.4161/rna.35508. *corresponding author.

21. Gabriele De Luca, Ilenia Ventura, Valentina Sanghez, Maria Teresa Russo, Maria Antonietta Ajmone Cat, Cacci, Emanuele, Alberto Martire, Patrizia Popoli, Germana Falcone, Flavia Michelini, Marco Crescenzi, Paolo Degan, Luisa Minghetti, Margherita Bignami, Gemma Calamandrei (2013). Prolonged lifespan with enhanced exploratory behavior in mice overexpressing the oxidized nucleoside triphosphatase hMTH1. AGING CELL, vol. 12, p. 695-705, ISSN: 1474-9718, doi: 10.1111/acel.12094.

22. Maddalena Sinno, Stefano Biagioni, Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat, Irene Pafumi, Pasquale Caramanica, Virginia Medda, Gaetana Tonti, Luisa Minghetti, Ferdinando Mannello, Emanuele Cacci (2013). The Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Marimastat Promotes Neural Progenitor Cell Differentiation into Neurons by Gelatinase-Independent TIMP-2-Dependent Mechanisms. STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT, vol. 22, p. 345-358, ISSN: 1547-3287, doi: 10.1089/scd.2012.0299.

23. M.A. Ajmone-Cat, M.L. Salvatori, Roberta De Simone, Melissa Mancini, Stefano Biagioni, Antonietta Bernardo, Emanuele Cacci, Luisa Minghetti (2012). Docosahexaenoic acid modulates inflammatory and antineurogenic functions of activated microglial cells. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, vol. 90, p. 575-587, ISSN: 0360-4012, doi: 10.1002/jnr.22783.

24. Chiara Soldati, Emanuele Cacci, Stefano Biagioni, Nicoletta Carucci, Giuseppe Lupo, Carla Perrone-Capano, Isabella Saggio, Gabriella Augusti-Tocco (2012). Restriction of Neural Precursor Ability to Respond to Nurr1 by Early Regional Specification. PLOS ONE, vol. 7, p. e51798-, ISSN: 1932-6203, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051798.

25. Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat*, Emanuele Cacci*, Ylenia Ragazzoni, Luisa Minghetti, Stefano Biagioni (2010). Pro-gliogenic effect of IL-1α in the differentiation of embryonic neural precursor cells in vitro. JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, vol. 113, p. 1060-1072, ISSN: 0022-3042, doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06670.x. * gli autori hanno ugualmente contribuito al lavoro.

26. Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat, Emanuele Cacci, Luisa Minghetti (2010). Brain inflammation and the neuronal fate: from neurogenesis to neurodegeneration. In: Kenneth Maiese. Neurovascular Medicine: Pursuing Cellular Longevity for Healthy Aging. p. 319-344, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978-019532669-7, doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326697.003.0013

27. Emanuele Cacci, Biagioni Stefano (2009). Colture di cellule staminali neurali come modello per lo studio di patologie del sistema nervoso, studi farmacologici e di neurotossicità. BIOCHIMICA CLINICA, vol. 33, p. 129-136, ISSN: 0393-0564

28. G. Martella, A. Tassone, G. Sciamanna, P. Platania, D. Cuomo, M.T. Viscomi, P. Bonsi, Emanuele Cacci, Stefano Biagioni, A. Usiello, G. Bernardi, N. Sharma, D.G. Standaert, A. Pisani (2009). Impairment of bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the striatum of a mouse model of DYT1 dystonia: role of endogenous acetylcholine. BRAIN, vol. 132, p. 2336-2349, ISSN: 0006-8950, doi: 10.1093/brain/awp194.

29. Gaetana A. Tonti, Ferdinando Mannello, Cacci Emanuele, Biagioni Stefano (2009). Neural stem cells at the crossroads: MMPs may tell the way. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, vol. 53, p. 1-17, ISSN: 0214-6282, doi: 10.1387/ijdb.082573gt.



Publication metrics (source: Scopus)

ORCID ID 0000-003-0082-6999
- H-index: 20
- Total publication number: 38
- Total citations: 1811
- Average Citations per Product: 47