Contacts:
Supervisor(s):
Professor Vincenzo Calderone and Alma Martelli
PhD project Title:
Hydrogen sulfide and transsulfuration pathway: role in vascular dysfunction associated to metabolic disorders
Abstract of the PhD project:
Metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, are the leading cause of death worldwide due to the complications associated with the disease, especially those at the vascular level. The transsul f ur ation pathway (TSP) is a metabolic pathway that plays a central role in sulfur metabolism and redox regulation of cells. This pathway involves the transfer of sulfur from homocysteine to cysteine and involves other sulfur metabolites, such as the gaseous signalling molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S). H2S, which is formed by two independent terminal pathways of TSP from cysteine , is a protective mediator against the development of diabetes associated damage, especially at the vascular level. Clinical evidence shows that diabetes induced
hyperglycaemia leads to endothelial dysfunction resulting in altered H2S release, while the possible crosstalk between H2S and TSP products is still under investigation. My research project aims to identify how an alteration of TSP pathway may contribute to the development of diabetes associated damage and to assess whether the exogenous administration of sulfur compounds and H2S releasing agents influences the activity of vascularly engaged TSP.
Publications link:
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