Antonino Maria Sparta
Ph.D. Student, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnologies
Department of Pharmacology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
E-mail: antonino.sparta@mssm.edu
Tel: (212) 241-6545

Training and Education

Laurea (BA equivalent) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, February 2004, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Written thesis: "Opioid receptor-like receptor 1 (ORL-1) internalization in CHO cells: role of agonists and antagonists"
Supervisor: Professor Santi Spampinato

Current Research

Evaluation of the role of integrins in the inflammatory process on three different human leukocytic cell lines. Analysis of the effect of levocabastine, a potent H1 receptor antagonist, on leukocyte adhesion and cytokine secretion.

Test of the activity of the transcriptional factor NF–KB in SH–SY5Y cells after nociceptin stimulation by means of EMSA and ELISA.

Analysis of the effects induced by nociceptin in the signalling either of HEK and Neuro2A cells stably transfected with the recombinant flag–tagged NOP receptor, or of SH–SY5Y cells.

Publications

Gentilucci L, Cardillo G, Tolomelli A, Spampinato S, Sparta A, Squassabia F. Cyclotetrapeptide mimics based on a 13–membered, partially modified retro inversostructure. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 729-735, 2008.

Benfatti F, Cardillo G, Fabbroni S, Galzerano P, Gentilucci L, Juris R, Tolomelli A, Baiula M, Sparta A, Spampinato S. Synthesis and biological evaluation of non-peptide alpha(v)beta(3)/alpha(5)beta(1) integrin dual antagonists containing 5,6-dihydropyridin-2-one scaffolds. Bioorg Med Chem. 2007 Dec 1;15(23):7380-90.

Gentilucci L, Cardillo G, Squassabia F, Tolomelli A, Spampinato S, Sparta A, Baiula M. Inhibition of cancer cell adhesion by heterochiral Pro-containing RGD mimetics. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2007 Apr 15;17(8):2329-33.