Prof. Alessandra Pulliero
Department of Health Sciences University of Genoa Italy
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Academic Career Length
17Years (2010-Present)
(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)
Representative Publications
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Journal Article
ARAndrea Rossnerova
Andrea Rossnerova
Alberto IzzottiAlessandra PullieroABAalt Bast
Aalt BastSRSuresh Rattan
Suresh Rattan
Pavel RossnerThe exposure of living organisms to environmental stress triggers defensive responses resulting in the activation of protective processes. Whenever the exposure occurs at low doses, defensive effects overwhelm the adverse effects of the exposure; this adaptive situation is referred to as “hormesis”. Environmental, physical, and nutritional hormetins lead to the stimulation and strengthening of the maintenance and repair systems in cells and tissues. Exercise, heat, and irradiation are examples of physical hormetins, which activate heat shock-, DNA repair-, and anti-oxidative-stress responses. The health promoting effect of many bio-actives in fruits and vegetables can be seen as the effect of mildly toxic compounds triggering this adaptive stimulus. Numerous studies indicate that living organisms possess the ability to adapt to adverse environmental conditions, as exemplified by the fact that DNA damage and gene expression profiling in populations living in the environment with high levels of air pollution do not correspond to the concentrations of pollutants. The molecular mechanisms of the hormetic response include modulation of (a) transcription factor Nrf2 activating the synthesis of glutathione and the subsequent protection of the cell; (b) DNA methylation; and (c) microRNA. These findings provide evidence that hormesis is a toxicological event, occurring at low exposure doses to environmental stressors, having the benefit for the maintenance of a healthy status.
Journal Article
MGMarta Geretto
Marta GerettoMFMarco Ferrari
Marco FerrariRARoberta De Angelis
Roberta De AngelisFCFilippo Crociata
Filippo CrociataNSNicola Sebastiani
Nicola SebastianiAlberto Izzotti +2
Background: Military personnel are frequently exposed to environmental pollutants that can cause a variety of diseases. Methods: This review analyzed publications regarding epidemiological and biomonitoring studies on occupationally-exposed military personnel. Results: The exposures include sulfur mustard, organ chlorines, combustion products, fuel vapors, and ionizing and exciting radiations. Important factors to be considered are the lengths and intensities of exposures, its proximity to the sources of environmental pollutants, as well as confounding factors (cigarette smoke, diet, photo-type, healthy warrior effect, etc.). Assessment of environmental and individual exposures to pollutants is crucial, although often omitted, because soldiers have often been evaluated based on reported health problems rather than on excessive exposure to pollutants. Biomarkers of exposures and effects are tools to explore relationships between exposures and diseases in military personnel. Another observation from this review is a major problem from the lack of suitable control groups. Conclusions: This review indicates that only studies which analyzed epidemiological and molecular biomarkers in both exposed and control groups would provide evidence-based conclusions on exposure and disease risk in military personnel.
Journal Article
Deborah TraversiAlessandra PullieroAlberto IzzottiEFElena Franchitti
Elena FranchittiLILicia Iacoviello
Licia IacovielloSBStefania Boccia
Stefania Boccia +19
The development of high-throughput omics technologies represents an unmissable opportunity for evidence-based prevention of adverse effects on human health. However, the applicability and access to multi-omics tests are limited. In Italy, this is due to the rapid increase of knowledge and the high levels of skill and economic investment initially necessary. The fields of human genetics and public health have highlighted the relevance of an implementation strategy at a national level in Italy, including integration in sanitary regulations and governance instruments. In this review, the emerging field of public health genomics is discussed, including the polygenic scores approach, epigenetic modulation, nutrigenomics, and microbiomes implications. Moreover, the Italian state of implementation is presented. The omics sciences have important implications for the prevention of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases, especially because they can be used to assess the health status during the whole course of life. An effective population health gain is possible if omics tools are implemented for each person after a preliminary assessment of effectiveness in the medium to long term.
Journal Article
RBRakhmetkazhy Bersimbaev
Rakhmetkazhy BersimbaevAlessandra PullieroOBOlga Bulgakova
Olga BulgakovaAKAssiya Kussainova
Assiya KussainovaAAAkmara Aripova
Akmara AripovaAlberto IzzottiRadon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. microRNA expression in human bronchial epithelium cells is altered by radon, with particular reference to upregulation of miR-16, miR-15, miR-23, miR-19, miR-125, and downregulation of let-7, miR-194, miR-373, miR-124, miR-146, miR-369, and miR-652. These alterations alter cell cycle, oxidative stress, inflammation, oncogene suppression, and malignant transformation. Also DNA methylation is altered as a consequence of miR-29 modification induced by radon. Indeed miR-29 targets DNA methyltransferases causing inhibition of CpG sites methylation. Massive microRNA dysregulation occurs in the lung due to radon expose and is functionally related with the resulting lung damage. However, in humans this massive lung microRNA alterations only barely reflect onto blood microRNAs. Indeed, blood miR-19 was not found altered in radon-exposed subjects. Thus, microRNAs are massively dysregulated in experimental models of radon lung carcinogenesis. In humans these events are initially adaptive being aimed at inhibiting neoplastic transformation. Only in case of long-term exposure to radon, microRNA alterations lead towards cancer development. Accordingly, it is difficult in human to establish a microRNA signature reflecting radon exposure. Additional studies are required to understand the role of microRNAs in pathogenesis of radon-induced lung cancer.
7 October 2015 in MicroRNA
Journal Article
VAValentina Altana
Valentina Altana
MGMarta Geretto
Marta GerettoAlessandra PullieroMicro-RNAs (miRNAs) are responsible for important and evolutionary-conserved regulatory functions in several cellular processes such as apoptosis, signalling, differentiation and proliferation. There is a growing interest in understanding more clearly the mechanisms regulating activation and suppression of miRNAs expression in benefit of health prevention advancement. It is now acknowledged that physical activity represents one of the most effective preventive agents in chronicdegenerative diseases. Indeed, a regular exercise exerts a great influence on several parameters and biological pathways, both at genomic and post-genomic levels. Recent works have highlighted the effects of structured physical activity on miRNAs modulation. Modulation of MiRNAs, regulated by exercise in human skeletal muscle, depends on type, duration and intensity of an exercise performed. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of scientific evidence concerning the effects of physical activity on miRNAs and its relevance for chronic-degenerative diseases prevention.
Journal Article
Alberto IzzottiPSPaola Spatera
Paola SpateraZKZumama Khalid
Zumama KhalidAlessandra PullieroParticulate matter (PM) pollution is one of the major public health problems worldwide, given the high mortality attributable to exposure to PM pollution and the high pathogenicity that is found above all in the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. The main sources of PM pollution are the daily use of fuels (wood, coal, organic residues) in appliances without emissions abatement systems, industrial emissions, and vehicular traffic. This review aims to investigate the causes of PM pollution and classify the different types of dust based on their size. The health effects of exposure to PM will also be discussed. Particular attention is paid to the measurement method, which is unsuitable in the risk assessment process, as the evaluation of the average PM compared to the evaluation of PM with punctual monitoring significantly underestimates the health risk induced by the achievement of high PM values, even for limited periods of time.
About Me
Alessandra Pulliero graduated with a B.Sc. in biology from the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Padua, Italy. She received her doctorate in environmental medicine and public health from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Padua (2003–2006). In 2001, she was a research fellow for a project funded by the MIUR, "Cross-talk between endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane: Interactions and functional relationships", Department of Biomedical Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy. In 2007, she was a postdoc researcher at the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy, for the research project (PRIN) "Evaluation of exposure and individual susceptibility in subjects involved in the manipulation of antiblastic chemotherapy”. She was a research assistant in 2008 for a project on a microRNA microarray and qPCR analyses and prevention of lung cancer, setting up microarray delivery systems and microarray data analyses and was involved in an intracellular microRNA delivery by lipid nanoparticles, RNA interference, and culture cells experiment at the Department of Health Sciences. Between 2013 and 2018, she was a research assistant at the University of Genoa on the project “Development of preventive strategies of lung cancer by transfection with miRNA and modulation of DICER protein”. In 2017, she received a qualification of associate professor in general and applied hygiene.