Viruses and Cancer

Susanna Chiocca
Unit Director
[email protected] | |
Telephone | 0257489835 |
Location | Building 13 Floor 2nd Via Adamello 16, Milano |
The overall focus of my research lab is to determine the mechanisms by which oncogenic viruses and other tumor microenvironmental stresses contribute to neoplasia by post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins. In particular, we have been studying (i) the virus-/stress-induced SUMOylation and phosphorylation of Histone Deacetylases to show how these modifications change the neoplastic program, primarily through altering the cancer epigenome; (ii) how oncoviral proteins regulate cellular post-translational modification pathways and provide new critical signals in viral-induced carcinogenesis.
As a model system, we have been studying head and neck cancers, since these tumors are both Human Papilloma Virus positive and negative. Within this context, we are currently understanding how inhibitors of cellular enzymes crucial for chromatin modification, such as Histone Deacetylases, exert anti-tumorigenesis activity, also by triggering epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
Most recently, we have developed a keen interest in biological as well as clinical sex/gender differences in head and neck cancers.
Most Relevant Publications
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Medda A, Compagnoni M, Spini G, Citro S, Croci O, Campaner S, Tagliabue M, Ansarin M, Chiocca S
c-MYC-dependent transcriptional inhibition of autophagy is implicated in cisplatin sensitivity in HPV-positive head and neck cancer.
Cell Death Dis, 2023
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Gaeta A, Tagliabue M, D'Ecclesiis O, Ghiani L, Maugeri P, De Berardinis R, Veneri C, Gaiaschi C, Cacace M, D'Andrea L, Ansarin M, Gandini S, Chiocca S
Are sex and gender considered in head and neck cancer clinical studies?
NPJ Precis Oncol, 2023
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Citro S, Miccolo C, Medda A, Ghiani L, Tagliabue M, Ansarin M, Chiocca S
HPV-mediated regulation of SMAD4 modulates the DNA damage response in head and neck cancer.
J Exp Clin Cancer Res, 2022
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Mattoscio D, Casadio C, Miccolo C, Maffini F, Raimondi A, Tacchetti C, Gheit T, Tagliabue M, Galimberti VE, De Lorenzi F, Pawlita M, Chiesa F, Ansarin M, Tommasino M, Chiocca S
Autophagy regulates UBC9 levels during viral-mediated tumorigenesis.
Plos Pathog, 2017