1) Musculoskeletal Oncology

1.1. Study of microenvironment in sarcoma tumours (chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma).
1.2. Evaluation of biomarkers in sarcoma tumours and bone metastases
1.3. In vitro study of new potential therapeutic molecules for sarcoma tumours treatment on cell lines and 3-D cultures

Publications

Fede C, Stecco C, Angelini A, Fan C, Belluzzi E, Pozzuoli A, Ruggieri P, De Caro R. Variations in contents of hyaluronan in the peritumoral micro-environment of human chondrosarcoma. J Orthop Res. 2019 Feb;37(2):503-509. doi: 10.1002/jor.24176. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

2) Physiopathology of musculoskeletal diseases 

2.1. Exploring the role of joint tissues (cartilage, meniscus, synovial membrane, infrapatellar fat pad, labrum, etc.) in osteoarthritis.
2.2. Evaluation of therapeutic effects of different molecules (hyaluronic acid and its derivates, etc.) on primary cells isolated from osteoarthritic tissues.
2.3. Evaluation of diseases biomarkers in osteoarthritis.
2.4. Skeletal muscle in physiological and pathological conditions.

Publications

Olivotto E, Trisolino G, Belluzzi E, Lazzaro A, Strazzari A, Pozzuoli A, Cigolotti A, Ruggieri P, Evangelista A, Ometto F, Stallone S, Goldring SR, Goldring MB, Ramonda R, Grigolo B, Favero M. Macroscopic Synovial Inflammation Correlates with Symptoms and Cartilage Lesions in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy: A Clinical Study. J Clin Med. 2022 Jul 26;11(15):4330. doi: 10.3390/jcm11154330.

Olivotto E, Belluzzi E, Pozzuoli A, Cigolotti A, Scioni M, Goldring SR, Goldring MB, Ruggieri P, Ramonda R, Grigolo B, Trisolino G, Favero M. Do Synovial Inflammation and Meniscal Degeneration Impact Clinical Outcomes of Patients UndergoingArthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy? A Histological Study. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 31;23(7):3903. doi: 10.3390/ijms23073903.

Tarricone E, Elia R, Mattiuzzo E, Faggian A, Pozzuoli A, Ruggieri P, Brun P. The Viability and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Hyaluronic Acid-Chitlac-Tracimolone Acetonide- β-Cyclodextrin Complex on Human Chondrocytes.

Cartilage. 2021 Dec;13(2_suppl):920S-924S. doi: 10.1177/1947603520908658. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

Belluzzi E, Macchi V, Fontanella CG, Carniel EL, Olivotto E, Filardo G, Sarasin G, Porzionato A, Granzotto M, Pozzuoli A, Berizzi A, Scioni M, De Caro R, Ruggieri P, Vettor R, Ramonda R, Rossato M, Favero M. Infrapatellar Fat Pad Gene Expression and Protein Production in Patients with and without Osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 21;21(17):6016. doi: 10.3390/ijms21176016.

Favero M, Belluzzi E, Trisolino G, Goldring MB, Goldring SR, Cigolotti A, Pozzuoli A, Ruggieri P, Ramonda R, Grigolo B, Punzi L, Olivotto E. Inflammatory molecules produced by meniscus and synovium in early and end-stage osteoarthritis: a coculture study. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Jul;234(7):11176-11187. doi: 10.1002/jcp.27766. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

3) Biomechanics

3.1 Biological and biomechanical characterization of human tissues in musculoskeletal pathologies.
3.2 Image Analysis for Morphometric Evaluation of human tissues.

Publications

Fontanella CG, Belluzzi E, Pozzuoli A, Scioni M, Olivotto E, Reale D, Ruggieri P, De Caro R, Ramonda R, Carniel EL, Favero M, Macchi V. Exploring Anatomo-Morphometric Characteristics of Infrapatellar, Suprapatellar Fat Pad, and Knee Ligaments in Osteoarthritis Compared to Post-Traumatic Lesions. Biomedicines. 2022 Jun 9;10(6):1369. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10061369.

Fontanella CG, Belluzzi E, Pozzuoli A, Favero M, Ruggieri P, Macchi V, Carniel EL. Mechanical behavior of infrapatellar fat pad of patients affected by osteoarthritis. J Biomech. 2022 Jan;131:110931. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110931. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

Fontanella CG, Belluzzi E, Rossato M, Olivotto E, Trisolino G, Ruggieri P, Rubini A, Porzionato A, Natali A, De Caro R, Vettor R, Ramonda R, Macchi V, Favero M. Quantitative MRI analysis of infrapatellar and suprapatellar fat pads in normal controls, moderate and end-stage osteoarthritis. Ann Anat. 2019 Jan;221:108-114. doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2018.09.007. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

4) Regenerative Medicine in musculoskeletal diseases

Isolation and characterization of stem cells from different joint tissues and evaluation of their differentiation potential.

Publications

Stocco E, Barbon S, Piccione M, Belluzzi E, Petrelli L, Pozzuoli A, Ramonda R, Rossato M, Favero M, Ruggieri P, Porzionato A, Di Liddo R, De Caro R, Macchi V. Infrapatellar Fat Pad Stem Cells Responsiveness to Microenvironment in Osteoarthritis: From Morphology to Function. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2019 Dec 10;7:323. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00323. eCollection 2019.

5) Immunology in musculoskeletal diseases

5.1   Evaluation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) circulating and from bone marrow of healthy and pathologic subjects.
5.2   Immunological evaluation of bone tumors.

Publications

Magri S, Masetto E, Solito S, Francescato S, Belluzzi E, Pozzuoli A, Berizzi A, Ruggieri P, Mandruzzato S.

Human MDSCs derived from the bone marrow maintain their functional ability but have a reduced frequency of induction in the elderly compared to pediatric donors. Immun Ageing. 2020 Sep 9;17:27. doi: 10.1186/s12979-020-00199-5. eCollection 2020.

Pinton L, Solito S, Damuzzo V, Francescato S, Pozzuoli A, Berizzi A, Mocellin S, Rossi CR, Bronte V, Mandruzzato S. Activated T cells sustain myeloid-derived suppressor cell-mediated immune suppression. Oncotarget. 2016 Jan 12;7(2):1168-84. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.6662.

6) Biological monitoring of patients with implanted devices

Study of metals release in patients with metal total hip arthroplasty.

Publications

Pozzuoli A, Berizzi A, Crimì A, Belluzzi E, Frigo AC, Conti G, Nicolli A, Trevisan A, Biz C, Ruggieri P. Metal Ion Release, Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in Large Diameter Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty at Long-Term Follow-Up. Diagnostics (Basel). 2020 Nov 12;10(11):941. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics10110941.

Nicolli A, Trevisan A, Bortoletti I, Pozzuoli A, Ruggieri P, Martinelli A, Gambalunga A, Carrieri M. Biological Monitoring of Metal Ions Released from Hip Prostheses. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 6;17(9):3223. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17093223.

Funding:

Integrated project for DiSCOG interdepartmental research, BIRD 2020 call (BIRD205407).
Project title “New approaches and concepts in bone metastases: from bone remodeling markers to clinical implications in oligometastases”. € 50.000 (2020-2022)

People involved:

Ruggieri Pietro, MD, PhD - Full Professor

Group members:

Pozzuoli Assunta, Master of Science, Executive Biologist, Laboratory Manager
Belluzzi Elisa, PhD, RTD-a