Plasma membrane interaction is highly recognized as an essential step to start the intracellular events in response to extracellular stimuli. The ways in which these interactions take place are less clear and detailed. Over the last decade my research has focused on developing the understanding of the glycosphingolipids-protein interaction that occurs at cell surface. By using chemical synthesis and biochemical approaches we have characterized some fundamental interactions that are key events both in the immune response and in the maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. In particular, for the first time it has been demonstrated that a glycolipid, present on the outer side of the membrane, the long-chain lactosylceramide, is able to directly modulate a cytosolic protein. But the real conceptual change was the demonstration that the GM1 oligosaccharide chain is able, alone, to replicate numerous functions of GM1 ganglioside and to directly interact with plasma membrane receptors by activating specific cellular signaling. In this conceptual shift, the development and application of multidisciplinary techniques in the field of biochemistry, from chemical synthesis to bioinformatic analysis, as well as discussions with several national and international colleagues have played a key role.

Plasma membrane glycosphingolipid signaling: a turning point / E. Chiricozzi. - In: GLYCOCONJUGATE JOURNAL. - ISSN 0282-0080. - (2021). [Epub ahead of print] [10.1007/s10719-021-10008-w]

Plasma membrane glycosphingolipid signaling: a turning point

E. Chiricozzi
2021

Abstract

Plasma membrane interaction is highly recognized as an essential step to start the intracellular events in response to extracellular stimuli. The ways in which these interactions take place are less clear and detailed. Over the last decade my research has focused on developing the understanding of the glycosphingolipids-protein interaction that occurs at cell surface. By using chemical synthesis and biochemical approaches we have characterized some fundamental interactions that are key events both in the immune response and in the maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. In particular, for the first time it has been demonstrated that a glycolipid, present on the outer side of the membrane, the long-chain lactosylceramide, is able to directly modulate a cytosolic protein. But the real conceptual change was the demonstration that the GM1 oligosaccharide chain is able, alone, to replicate numerous functions of GM1 ganglioside and to directly interact with plasma membrane receptors by activating specific cellular signaling. In this conceptual shift, the development and application of multidisciplinary techniques in the field of biochemistry, from chemical synthesis to bioinformatic analysis, as well as discussions with several national and international colleagues have played a key role.
Ceramide; Early career award; Glycosphingolipid; GM1 oligosaccharide; IGO award; Plasma membrane interaction
Settore BIO/10 - Biochimica
2021
16-ago-2021
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Chiricozzi2021_Article_PlasmaMembraneGlycosphingolipi.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Online first
Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 1.62 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.62 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/878847
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact