Publications by authors named "Jessica Modica"

Background And Aims: Reticulated platelets (RPs), hyperreactive and RNA-rich, are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and suboptimal response to antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. This study aimed to characterise the molecular and functional phenotype of RPs in CAD and assess their potential as therapeutic targets.

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Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, highliting the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Peptide-based therapies have demonstrated significant potential for treating CVDs; however, their clinical application is hindered by their limited stability in physiological fluids. To overcome this challenge, an effective drug delivery system is essential to protect and efficiently transport peptides to their intended targets.

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Despite advances in care, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. As a result, identifying suitable biomarkers for early diagnosis and improving therapeutic and diagnostic strategies is crucial. Because of their significant advantages over other therapeutic approaches, nucleic-based therapies, particularly aptamers, are gaining increased attention.

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Background: The lack of disease-modifying drugs is one of the major unmet needs in patients with heart failure (HF). Peptides are highly selective molecules with the potential to act directly on cardiomyocytes. However, a strategy for effective delivery of therapeutics to the heart is lacking.

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Article Synopsis
  • Inhalable calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with colistin (Col) show promise for targeted delivery of antimicrobials in cystic fibrosis, effectively penetrating mucus and biofilms.
  • The study found that Col interacts electrostatically with CaP-NPs, achieving a maximum payload of about 50 mg per gram of NPs while maintaining suitable size and charge to navigate mucus barriers.
  • In vitro tests confirmed that these CaP-NPs are non-cytotoxic and retain the antimicrobial activity of Col against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, marking a potential advancement in CF treatment options.
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Myocardial infarction causes 7.3 million deaths worldwide, mostly for fibrillation that electrically originates from the damaged areas of the left ventricle. Conventional cardiac bypass graft and percutaneous coronary interventions allow reperfusion of the downstream tissue but do not counteract the bioelectrical alteration originated from the infarct area.

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Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited arrhythmogenic disease that may lead to sudden cardiac death in young adults with structurally normal hearts. No pharmacological therapy is available for BrS patients. This situation highlights the urgent need to overcome current difficulties by developing novel groundbreaking curative strategies.

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The process of mitochondrial dynamics is emerging as a core player in cardiovascular homeostasis. This process refers to the co-ordinated cycles of biogenesis, fusion, fission and degradation to which mitochondria constantly undergo to maintain their integrity, distribution and size. These mechanisms represent an early response to mitochondrial stress, confining organelle portions that are irreversibly damaged and preserving mitochondrial function.

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Small therapeutic peptides represent a promising field for the treatment of pathologies such as cardiac diseases. However, the lack of proper target-selective carriers hampers their translation towards a potential clinical application. Aptamers are cell-specific carriers that bind with high affinity to their specific target.

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