Biomedical subjects

Barbara Pardini

Publications and source records attributed to Barbara Pardini.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Fecal immunochemical tests from population-based colorectal cancer screening programs support prospective microbiome cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Large, prospective cohorts are needed to research the gut microbiome's role in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We evaluated the gut microbiome leveraging residual fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) from a CRC screening program in Turin, Italy, and conducted one of the largest population-based case-control studies across the adenoma-carcinoma sequence to date. METHODS: We extracted DNA from residual FIT stool, used whole-genome shotgun sequencing, and included those with CRC (N = 44), advanced adenomas (N = 269), early adenomas (N = 134), and FIT-negative controls (N = 478). Alpha diversity, beta diversity, and species, gene, and pathway relative abundances were estimated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate associations of these metrics with colorectal neoplasms. RESULTS: Alpha diversity was mostly inversely associated with colorectal neoplasms, particularly early adenomas (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25-0.80; P = 0.01). Presence of oral pathogens, including Parvimonas micra, was associated with higher odds of CRC. Furthermore, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis were strongly associated with higher odds of all colorectal neoplasms. Several genes and pathways were associated with colorectal neoplasms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings align with smaller studies of the gut microbiome and colorectal neoplasms, supporting that CRC screening programs provide opportunities to prospectively study the gut microbiome's association with cancer risk in large populations.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Transcriptome changes in circulating immune cells of critical COVID-19 patients predict a specific metabolic and epigenetic imprint.

BACKGROUND: The progression to critical COVID-19 arises predominantly from a dysregulated host immune response although the underlying regulatory mechanisms still remain partially elusive. This limits a prompt prediction of the disease progression, reduces the therapeutic options and restrains our understanding of “long COVID”. METHODS: Here, we analyzed the transcriptome of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from COVID-19 patients experiencing different degrees of the disease (mild and critical), and control patients enrolled in the clinical trial COntAGIouS as well as independent bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq and proteomic datasets. RESULTS: In critical COVID-19 patients, the integrative analysis of transcriptomic data revealed an altered regulatory network involving microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and coding genes that control mRNA translation-related genes, epigenetics, and metabolism. In parallel, we observed an upregulation of tRNA aminoacylation genes in critical COVID-19 patients by the analysis of either bulk or single-cell RNA-seq data from publicly available independent cohorts. Additionally, we found increased expression of coding genes enriched for the cognate amino acids (glycine, alanine, isoleucine and tyrosine), all related to protein localization, post-translational modifications, and cell metabolism in our cohort. Similar alterations in amino acid frequency were found in an independent proteomic dataset. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our findings indicate a broad perturbation of the gene expression landscape that characterizes the aberrant host immune response in critical COVID-19 patients and is potentially coordinated by miRNA and tRNA metabolism alterations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: COntAGIouS, NCT04327570. Registered 26 March 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04327570 .

Female↗

PubMed2024

Small noncoding RNAs and sperm nuclear basic proteins reflect the environmental impact on germ cells.

BACKGROUND: Molecular techniques can complement conventional spermiogram analyses to provide new information on the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa and to identify early alterations due to environmental pollution. METHODS: Here, we present a multilevel molecular profiling by small RNA sequencing and sperm nuclear basic protein analysis of male germ cells from 33 healthy young subjects residing in low and high-polluted areas. RESULTS: Although sperm motility and sperm concentration were comparable between samples from the two sites, those from the high-pollution area had a higher concentration of immature/immune cells, a lower protamine/histone ratio, a reduced ability of sperm nuclear basic proteins to protect DNA from oxidative damage, and an altered copper/zinc ratio in sperm. Sperm levels of 32 microRNAs involved in intraflagellar transport, oxidative stress response, and spermatogenesis were different between the two areas. In parallel, a decrease of Piwi-interacting RNA levels was observed in samples from the high-polluted area. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive analysis provides new insights into pollution-driven epigenetic alterations in sperm not detectable by spermiogram.

Male↗