Letizia Lazzerini

Dr. Letizia Lazzerini


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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GGGiulia Guarnieri
Giulia Guarnieri
Jacopo Junio Valerio BrancaJacopo Junio Valerio Branca
Jacopo Junio Valerio Branca
RGRachele Garella
Rachele Garella
LLLetizia Lazzerini
Letizia Lazzerini
FMFlavia Mencarelli
Flavia Mencarelli
Annamaria MorelliAnnamaria Morelli
Annamaria Morelli
There is increasing evidence that exposure to environmental toxicants may impact fertility, especially during critical windows of reproductive axis development. Hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, essential for puberty onset and fertility, originate from the olfactory placode and migrate toward the hypothalamus during development, making them particularly vulnerable to environmental insults. Cadmium (Cd), a widespread heavy metal, is well known for its gonadotoxicity, but its impact on human hypothalamic neuron development remains unclear. Using human fetal GnRH neuroblasts (FNCB4) we investigated the effects of Cd exposure on their morpho-functional and developmental features. Cd induced oxidative stress and COX2 mRNA upregulation, indicative of inflammatory pathway activation, which was accompanied by reduced cell migration and downregulation of motility-related genes. These effects were associated with F-actin disassembly and altered expression of adhesion molecules. Electrophysiological analyses showed that Cd altered membrane potential, increased capacitance and permeability, and disrupted gap junctional communication, as also confirmed by connexin-43 delocalization. Moreover, Cd significantly reduced the expression of specific GnRH neuronal markers, suggesting impaired functional maturation. Overall, our findings provide the first evidence that Cd may interfere with mechanisms crucially involved in human GnRH neuron development, adding new mechanistic insights into the comprehension of how early-life exposure to Cd may contribute to fertility concerns.