STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS

Dr. STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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30 July 2025 in Genes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
EOEmmanouil D. Oikonomou
Emmanouil D. Oikonomou
AMAndreas Miltiadous
Andreas Miltiadous
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Background/Objectives: Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-driven gynecological disorder affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide, with significant physical, psychosocial, and socioeconomic impacts. Recent research suggests a possible involvement of the gut microbiome in endometriosis disease mechanisms through immune manipulation, estrogen metabolism, and inflammatory networks. This narrative review aims to summarize current evidence on gut microbiota changes in endometriosis patients, explore the mechanisms by which gut dysbiosis contributes to disease progression, and examine epidemiological links between gastrointestinal health and endometriosis risk. Methods: A narrative review was conducted to synthesize available literature on the compositional changes in gut microbiota associated with endometriosis. The review also evaluated studies investigating potential mechanisms and epidemiological patterns connecting gut health with endometriosis development and severity. Results: Alterations in gut microbiota composition were observed in endometriosis patients, suggesting roles in immune dysregulation, estrogen metabolism, and inflammation. Potential gut-oriented interventions, including dietary changes, probiotics, and lifestyle modifications, emerged as promising management options. However, methodological variability and research gaps remain barriers to clinical translation. Conclusions: Integrating gut microbiome research into endometriosis management holds potential for improving early diagnosis, patient outcomes, and healthcare system sustainability. The study emphasizes the need for further research to address existing challenges and to develop public health strategies that incorporate microbiome-based interventions in population-level endometriosis care.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
AMAndreas Miltiadous
Andreas Miltiadous
Alexandros T TzallasAlexandros T Tzallas
Alexandros T Tzallas
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Analysis of coding areas has long been used to study monogenic illnesses, but despite the extensive use of whole-exome sequencing (WES), up to half of suspected cases remain genetically unexplained. Variants outside coding areas can alter splicing, transcript stability, or gene regulation, compromising normal gene activity. These include mutations in noncoding RNAs, promoters, enhancers, deep intronic sequences, and untranslated regions (UTRs). Several well-known disorders have been linked to these mechanisms, including β-thalassemia caused by deep intronic mutations leading to aberrant splicing, familial hypercholesterolemia caused by promoter defects affecting LDLR expression, and inherited retinal diseases driven by noncoding variants influencing retinal gene regulation. These instances show that pathogenic variation is not limited to the exome and can have significant clinical implications. This review summarizes current understanding of noncoding and regulatory variants in monogenic diseases, discusses how they influence diagnosis and therapy, and highlights integrative approaches combining genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic data. Multi-layered research has increased diagnostic accuracy and unveiled new therapeutic potentials, although noncoding variations make the connection between genotype and phenotype more complex. Noncoding regions will need to be incorporated into standard diagnostic procedures to convert molecular insights into concrete therapeutic applications in the future. Predictive algorithms, patient-derived model systems, and functional validation testing will all help to simplify this process.

6 October 2025 in Genes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
IMIoannis Mitrogiannis
Ioannis Mitrogiannis
EVErmanno Vitale
Ermanno Vitale
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Background/Objectives: Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a crucial factor influencing mother and fetal health, as high GWG is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and an increased long-term risk of obesity and metabolic issues in the children. In addition to controlling weight, maternal physical activity (PA) during pregnancy may influence fetal development through potential epigenetic mechanisms, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and the production of non-coding RNA. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs; n = 11, 3654 participants) investigating the impact of aerobic PA on GWG, while also highlighting emerging, primarily indirect findings on maternal–fetal epigenetic programming. Results: The majority of RCTs found that supervised PA interventions, especially when paired with nutritional counseling, decreased both the incidence of excessive GWG and total GWG. Enhancements in lipid metabolism, adipokine profiles, and maternal insulin sensitivity point to likely biochemical mechanisms that connect PA to epigenetic modification of fetal metabolic genes (e.g., IGF2, PGC-1α, LEP). Animal and observational studies suggest that maternal activity may influence offspring epigenetic pathways related to obesity and cardiometabolic conditions, although direct human evidence is limited. Conclusions: In addition to potentially changing gene–environment interactions throughout generations, prenatal PA is a low-cost, safe method of improving maternal and newborn health. Future RCTs ought to incorporate molecular endpoints to elucidate the epigenetic processes by which maternal exercise may provide long-term health benefits.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
EOEmmanouil D. Oikonomou
Emmanouil D. Oikonomou
IMIoannis Mitrogiannis
Ioannis Mitrogiannis
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Endometriosis (EM) is a chronic, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder affecting approximately 6–10% of women of reproductive age in the general population and remains a major cause of chronic pelvic pain and infertility. High recurrence rates and enduring symptoms despite current treatments underscore the need for a more thorough understanding of its intricate biology. There is growing evidence that the interaction among oxidative stress (OS), microbiome dysbiosis, and epigenetic dysregulation contributes to immunological activation, hormonal imbalance, and the persistence of ectopic lesions. Important disease mechanisms, such as progesterone resistance, inflammatory signaling, and aberrant cellular proliferation, are influenced by epigenetic changes, which include aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications, and dysregulated non-coding RNAs. Simultaneously, high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) reinforce lesion survival and chronic inflammation by promoting angiogenesis, fibrosis, and tissue damage. Changes in the microbiome also affect immunological responses, oxidative balance, estrogen metabolism, and epigenetic control, indicating the existence of interrelated pathogenic loops. This narrative review presents an integrated mechanistic framework for endometriosis, summarizing the available data that connect these pathways. Furthermore, the growing implications of non-invasive biomarkers and precision medicine techniques highlight the potential for improved diagnosis, disease classification, and targeted treatment approaches.

25 February 2026 in Genes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
IMIoannis Mitrogiannis
Ioannis Mitrogiannis
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Background/Objectives: Pregnancy loss is a common and multifactorial complication of human reproduction, traditionally attributed to fetal chromosomal abnormalities, maternal anatomical and endocrine disorders, and immune dysfunction. Growing evidence now indicates that the maternal microbiome, particularly within the reproductive tract, plays a critical role in implantation, placental development, and the maintenance of immune tolerance during early pregnancy. Importantly, the influence of the microbiome on miscarriage appears to be strongly modulated by host genetic background and immune regulation. Methods: This narrative review summarizes current evidence linking alterations in the vaginal, endometrial, placental, and gut microbiomes to miscarriage, with a specific focus on host genetics and immune–microbial interactions. Results: We discuss how genetic variation in innate and adaptive immune pathways, inflammatory signaling, and mucosal barrier function may shape host responses to microbial communities, thereby influencing susceptibility to PL. In addition, we highlight emerging data on microbiome-driven regulation of gene expression and epigenetic modifications in the endometrium and decidua, emphasizing the role of microbial metabolites in immune tolerance and placental function. Conclusions: By integrating findings from microbiome research, host genomics, immunology, and epigenetics, this review proposes a framework in which miscarriage is viewed as a consequence of disrupted host–microbe crosstalk rather than isolated pathology. Finally, we address key methodological challenges and outline future research directions aimed at advancing mechanistic understanding and translational applications.

29 June 2026 in Genes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SMSTYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
STYLIANOS MAKRYDIMAS
EMEfthalia Moustakli
Efthalia Moustakli
Nektaria ZagorianakouNektaria Zagorianakou
Nektaria Zagorianakou
EOEmmanouil D. Oikonomou
Emmanouil D. Oikonomou
IMIoannis Mitrogiannis
Ioannis Mitrogiannis
GMGeorge Makrydimas
George Makrydimas
Celocentesis represents a novel form of invasive pregnancy test that allows the genetic material of the embryo to be tested during the embryonic stage at 6–9 weeks of gestation. The purpose of this narrative review is to present the latest available literature on celocentesis, including its biological basis, technical aspects, diagnostic performance, safety profile, clinical applications, and future perspectives. Available evidence from selected studies conducted in highly specialized centers suggests that the diagnosis of monogenic diseases by celocentesis can achieve high accuracy, with reported success rates ranging from 93% to 99% when combined with molecular testing and selective fetal cell isolation. Similarly, a high level of concordance with conventional prenatal and postnatal diagnostic methods has been reported. The pregnancy loss associated with celocentesis appears to be low and comparable to baseline early pregnancy loss, although current evidence is derived primarily from observational studies and limited clinical series. One of the main benefits of celocentesis is the capability to perform prenatal diagnosis at an early stage of pregnancy, which facilitates more informed decisions about treatment options, minimizes parental anxiety, and allows earlier intervention when required. Moreover, experimental evidence suggests that celocentesis may provide a future platform for intrauterine therapeutic approaches, including stem cells and gene-based therapies, although these applications remain investigational. Despite these promising findings, celocentesis should currently be considered an experimental procedure, as its use remains largely confined to specialized centers and further multicenter studies are required to establish its safety, reproducibility, and broader clinical utility.