GUIDA , Patrizia

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NRs) are glutamate-gated channels critical for the functioning of the nervous system. They are assembled from two types of subunits, the essential GluN1 and at least one type of GluN2 (A, B, C, D) subunit. Nickel (Ni) modulates the NR current in a way dependent on the GluN2 subunit present. Besides...

Nickel (Ni2+) is a toxic metal that affects the function of several neuronal ionic channels. Ni2+ inhibits N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NR) channel in a voltage-dependent manner, but also causes enhancement of NR2B-containing channel activity and voltage-independent inhibition of those containing NR2A. The present work was aimed to find the...

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CLC proteins are a nine-member gene family of Cl- channels that have diverse roles in the plasma membrane and in intracellular organelles. The recent structure determination of bacterial CLC homologues by Dutzler et al. was a breakthrough for the structure-function analysis of CLC channels. This review describes the mechanisms of inhibition of...

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Metastasis represents a dynamic succession of events involving tumor cells which disseminate through the organism via the bloodstream. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can flow the bloodstream as single cells or as multicellular aggregates (clusters), which present a different potential to metastasize. The effects of the bloodstream-related...

CLC-K chloride channels are expressed in the kidney, where they play a pivotal role in the mechanisms of urine concentration and Na(+) reabsorption. The identification of barttin as an essential beta-subunit of CLC-K channels allowed performance of a pharmacologic characterization of wild-type CLC-K1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes. To this end, a...

CLC channels are a gene family of Cl(-) channels that serve a variety of functions, several of which are involved in genetic diseases. Few specific ligands of CLC channels are known that could be useful as pharmacological tools or potential drugs. We synthesized various derivatives of 2-(p-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, the S(-)-enantiomer of...

Recent studies have suggested that microenvironmental stimuli play a significant role in regulating cellular proliferation and migration, as well as in modulating self-renewal and differentiation processes of mammary cells with stem cell (SCs) properties. Recent advances in micro/nanotechnology and biomaterial synthesis/engineering currently...

We recently identified TMEM230 as a master regulator of the endomembrane system of cells. TMEM230 expression is necessary for promoting motor protein dependent intracellular trafficking of metalloproteins for cellular energy production in mitochondria. TMEM230 is also required for transport and secretion of metalloproteinases for autophagy and...