Giuseppe Balistreri

A rational design strategy and validation for protease-resistant fusion-inhibitor antiviral peptides

This study designs and validates protease-resistant antiviral peptides that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 fusion, showing improved efficacy in vitro and in vivo.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in hiPSC-derived neurons is cathepsin-dependent and causes accumulation of HIF1alpha and phosphorylated tau

This study shows SARS-CoV-2 infects hiPSC-derived neurons via endosomal-lysosomal pathway dependent on cathepsins, leading to HIF1alpha accumulation and phosphorylated tau, suggesting neurodegenerative effects.

DDHD2 provides a critical flux of saturated fatty acids to support neuronal energy demands

The paper shows that DDHD2-generated saturated fatty acids are essential for neuronal energy production and synaptic function.

The K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection to illustrate the role and response of the vasculature in neurotropic viral infection

This study uses a K18-hACE2 mouse model to show SARS-CoV-2 infects neurons in the brain without damaging blood vessels, leading to limited neuroinflammation.

The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and the orthoreovirus p15 cause neuronal and glial fusion

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 spike and orthoreovirus p15 proteins induce fusion between neurons and glial cells across species, leading to syncytia and organelle exchange.

Synaptotagmin 1 mediates toxicity of botulinum neurotoxin type A

This paper shows that botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) toxicity relies on synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1), which forms nanoclusters with PSG and SV2 on neuronal membranes, enabling endocytic targeting and neuronal communication disruption.

Genome-wide CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of Alzheimee's tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds.

This study uses CRISPRi screening to identify cellular regulators that restrict both exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeding in Alzheimer's disease.

SARS-CoV-2 infection of human neurons requires endosomal cell entry and can be blocked by inhibitors of host phosphoinositol-5 kinase

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can infect a small fraction of human cortical neurons via the endosomal pathway, and this infection can be blocked by apilimod.

Characterisation of the Semliki Forest Virus-host cell interactome reveals the viral capsid protein as an inhibitor of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

This study identifies the SFV capsid protein as an inhibitor of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay by mapping viral-host protein interactions.