Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious diseases

Innate immunity and tissue remodelling

Group leader

Patrizia Rovere-Querini

Dissecting the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of sarcopenic obesity in the elderly

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a geriatric syndrome wherein sarcopenia, typically occurring with aging, is associated with obesity. A confluence of two epidemics, SO synergistically heightens the risk of complications from both conditions, with a dramatic impact on morbidity and mortality. Critical mechanisms underlying the vicious interplay of fat and skeletal muscle include intra- and intercellular inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, altered autophagy, and epigenetic modifications, but their molecular interplay remains elusive.

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Research activity

To fill this gap, the research team guided by Patrizia Rovere Querini has set up and is functionally characterizing a murine model of age-related SO and conducting a comprehensive geriatric evaluation of elderly patients. In animal models and humans, they are combining advanced flow cytometry with imaging to characterize circulating leukocytes in terms of immune phenotype, metabolic, and senescence features. They are characterizing circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs), identifying their cellular origin and content. Adipose and skeletal muscle tissues are being sampled and analyzed by multi-layer unbiased phenotypic characterization (RNA-seq, proteomics, metabolomics) combined with ad-hoc evaluation of senescence programs. All activities leverage Institutional Core Centers, including Preclinical Imaging, Flow Cytometry, and the Center for Omics Sciences. The obtained results are being correlated with the presence and intensity of the disease to draw putative causal correlations and define potential markers of prognostic significance.

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