Andrea Morandi

Dr. Andrea Morandi

Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 50, I-50134 Florence, Italy
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

20Years (2007-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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1 February 2019 in Trends in Biochemical Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
LILuigi Ippolito
Luigi Ippolito
Andrea MorandiAndrea Morandi
Andrea Morandi
EGElisa Giannoni
Elisa Giannoni
PCPaola Chiarugi
Paola Chiarugi

1 April 2019 in Oncogene
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Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
LILuigi Ippolito
Luigi Ippolito
Andrea MorandiAndrea Morandi
Andrea Morandi
MTMaria Letizia Taddei
Maria Letizia Taddei
MPMatteo Parri
Matteo Parri
GCGiuseppina Comito
Giuseppina Comito
Elisa GiannoniElisa Giannoni
Elisa Giannoni

21 January 2019 in Oncogene
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
GCG. Comito
G. Comito
AIA. Iscaro
A. Iscaro
MBM. Bacci
M. Bacci
Andrea MorandiAndrea Morandi
Andrea Morandi
LIL. Ippolito
L. Ippolito
PCP. Chiarugi
P. Chiarugi

15 January 2018 in Nature Genetics
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Journal Article
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JCJingjing Chen
Jingjing Chen
IGIlaria Guccini
Ilaria Guccini
DMDiletta Di Mitri
Diletta Di Mitri
DBDaniela Brina
Daniela Brina
ARAjinkya Revandkar
Ajinkya Revandkar
AAAndrea Alimonti
Andrea Alimonti

1 March 2021 in Trends in Cancer
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Journal Article
Closed access
MBMarina Bacci
Marina Bacci
NLNicla Lorito
Nicla Lorito
ASAlfredo Smiriglia
Alfredo Smiriglia
Andrea MorandiAndrea Morandi
Andrea Morandi

8 February 2022 in Cancer Research
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Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LILuigi Ippolito
Luigi Ippolito
GCGiuseppina Comito
Giuseppina Comito
MPMatteo Parri
Matteo Parri
MIMarta Iozzo
Marta Iozzo
ADAssia Duatti
Assia Duatti
PCPaola Chiarugi
Paola Chiarugi
Lactate is an abundant oncometabolite in the tumor environment. In prostate cancer, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are major contributors of secreted lactate, which can be taken up by cancer cells to sustain mitochondrial metabolism. However, how lactate impacts transcriptional regulation in tumors has yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we describe a mechanism by which CAF-secreted lactate is able to increase the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in prostate cancer cells. This regulation enhanced intracellular lipid accumulation in lipid droplets (LD) and provided acetyl moieties for histone acetylation, establishing a regulatory loop between metabolites and epigenetic modification. Inhibition of this loop by targeting the bromodomain and extraterminal protein family of histone acetylation readers suppressed the expression of perilipin 2 (PLIN2), a crucial component of LDs, disrupting lactate-dependent lipid metabolic rewiring. Inhibition of this CAF-induced metabolic–epigenetic regulatory loop in vivo reduced growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells, demonstrating its translational relevance as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer. Clinically, PLIN2 expression was elevated in tumors with a higher Gleason grade and in castration-resistant prostate cancer compared with primary prostate cancer. Overall, these findings show that lactate has both a metabolic and an epigenetic role in promoting prostate cancer progression. Significance: This work shows that stromal-derived lactate induces accumulation of lipid droplets, stimulates epigenetic rewiring, and fosters metastatic potential in prostate cancer.