Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR

Via P. Castellino, 111 - 80131 Napoli

2013-2014 IBP Seminar Series

CNR Conference Room

Thursday, November 14th, 2013 at 14:30

Prof. Mauro Maccarrone

School of Medicine and Center of Integrated Research

Campus Bio-Medico, University of Rome

"Epigenetic mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease: Intersection between endocannabinoid and eicosanoid signaling"

Host: Dr Daniela Corda

Tel. 081-6132536; e-mail: d.corda@ibp.cnr.it

Mauro Maccarrone is Professor and Chair, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine and Center of Integrated Research, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. Director of the Laboratory of Lipid Neurochemistry of the European Center for Brain Research/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome. Member of the Editorial Board of several journals of science and Member of several professional associations. His research interests are in the endocannabinoid system, which is composed of endogenous lipids, their target receptors and metabolic enzymes, and has been implicated in multiple biological functions in health and disease, both in the central nervous system and in peripheral organs. Despite the exponential growth of experimental evidence on the key role of endocannabinoid signalling in basic cellular processes, and on its potential exploitation for therapeutic interventions, much remains to be clarified about the respective regulatory mechanisms. Prof Maccarrone will review current knowledge of epigenetic regulation of endocannabinoid system components under both physiological and pathological conditions, as well as the epigenetic changes induced by endocannabinoid signalling. Due to the reversibility of epigenetic changes, an emerging field of interest is the possibility of an 'epigenetic therapy' that could possibly be applied also to endocannabinoids.