MED42 - Di Pietro, Visalli, Facciolà

The group, within the health-environment association, deals with the exogenous determinants of disease both of a biotic (etiological agents of infectious diseases) and abiotic (compounds and particles capable of interfering with cellular targets) nature. On the latter, in collaboration with colleagues from the Engineering Department, the group deals with the biological effects of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) tested on different human cell lines. Given the development of nanotechnologies, human exposure to micro-nanoscale particles secondary to inhalation and/or ingestion and contact has increased exponentially in the population, becoming essential to assess their potential health impact. To date, the performed research has examined both carbon-based NPs such as multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), widely used at industrial level due to their peculiar properties, and ubiquitous pollutants such as micro and nanoplastics, whose effects on humans are still little known. The conducted studies show that the high hydrophobicity and the high surface/volume ratio favour both the interaction with biological membranes, with internalization of nanoparticles, and the reactivity with biological macromolecules causing damage to various cellular compartments. The damage, mainly caused by the redox imbalance due to the overproduction of ROS, include alteration of mitochondrial functionality (also highlighted by the reduction of the transmembrane potential), genotoxicity (highlighted both by resorting to the comet-assay and the search of micronuclei), membrane damage (from lipid peroxidation), alteration of the acid compartment, proinflammatory and proapoptotic effects. With regard to infectious diseases, the most consolidated issue in the field of hygiene, the group has been working for years, in collaboration with the Prevention Department of the Messina ASP 5, to monitor the epidemiological trend of the main diseases affecting our territory. This issue has confirmed how the non-optimal level of immunization, due to the vaccination hesitancy of the population, causes a high incidence of preventable diseases with consequent costs for the community. In fact, a measles epidemic peak in 2017 occurred, just before the vaccination became mandatory and, in addition, a high circulation of HPV, including oncogenic serotypes. Epidemiological investigations also focused on particular risk groups such as migrants, highlighting how the clinical and epidemiological burden of infectious diseases in these subjects is limited. This area of research also highlighted an unexpectedly high percentage of late diagnosis of HIV infection (54,2), especially among heterosexuals, with an increased risk of spreading the infection within the community and, at the same time, a loss of opportunities for undiagnosed individuals to start antiretroviral therapy promptly.