Giovanni Ligresti, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine
Biography
My laboratory focuses on lung repair and pulmonary fibrosis. We are currently investigating molecular mechanisms implicated in the differentiation of lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts during lung fibrosis, with particular emphasis on transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms driving persistent fibrogenesis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We have recently discovered that in the lung, myofibroblast differentiation occurs through the engagement of chromatin modifier enzymes and epigenetic readers. We found that the histone methyltransferase G9a and the epigenetic reader CBX5 play a critical role in lung fibroblast activation, and that targeting these epigenetic modifiers enhanced mitochondrial function, blocked ECM protein secretion, and attenuated lung fibrogenesis.
In addition, my laboratory is interested in investigating the impact of aging on the development of pulmonary fibrosis. We have recently discovered that the endothelium of aged mouse lungs is dysfunctional and this abnormality leads to capillary loss and persistent lung fibrosis following injury. Using a multi-omics approach (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and scRNA-seq) we have identified transcriptional programs in lung endothelial cells orchestrating lung vascular repair and whose abnormal activation with aging leads to persistent lung fibrosis.
Other Positions
- Member, Pulmonary Center, Boston University
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Education
- University of Trieste, PhD
- University of Trieste, MS
- University of Trieste, BS
Publications
- Published on 12/6/2024
Hong J, Pham TX, Lee J, Raslan AA, Nicolas K, Sharov A, Meridew JA, Urrutia RA, Lomberk G, Huang SK, Ligresti G. Targeting the Epigenetic Regulator CBX5 Promotes Fibroblast Metabolic Reprogramming and Inhibits Lung Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2024 Dec 06. PMID: 39642371.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/7/2024
Yamashita T, Kaplan U, Chakraborty A, Marden G, Gritli S, Roh D, Bujor A, Trojanowski M, Ligresti G, Browning JL, Trojanowska M. ERG Regulates Lymphatic Vessel Specification Genes and Its Deficiency Impairs Wound Healing-Associated Lymphangiogenesis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024 Nov; 76(11):1645-1657. PMID: 38965683.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/27/2024
Raslan AA, Pham TX, Lee J, Kontodimas K, Tilston-Lunel A, Schmottlach J, Hong J, Dinc T, Bujor AM, Caporarello N, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Trojanowska M, Varelas X, Ligresti G. Lung injury-induced activated endothelial cell states persist in aging-associated progressive fibrosis. Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 27; 15(1):5449. PMID: 38937456.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/11/2024
Wang X, Li X, Zhao J, Li Y, Shin SR, Ligresti G, Ng AHM, Bromberg JS, Church G, Lemos DR, Abdi R. Rapid Generation of hPSC-Derived High Endothelial Venule Organoids with In Vivo Ectopic Lymphoid Tissue Capabilities. Adv Mater. 2024 Apr; 36(15):e2308760. PMID: 38306610.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/24/2024
Chakraborty A, Kim A, AlAbdullatif S, Campbell JD, Alekseyev YO, Kaplan U, Dambal V, Ligresti G, Trojanowska M. Endothelial Erg Regulates Expression of Pulmonary Lymphatic Junctional and Inflammation Genes in Mouse Lungs Impacting Lymphatic Transport. Res Sq. 2024 Jan 24. PMID: 38343832.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/1/2023
Liang J, Ligresti G. Aging Delays Lung Repair: Insights from Omics Analysis in Mice with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2023 Oct; 69(4):376-377. PMID: 37437301.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/14/2023
Banerji R, Grifno GN, Shi L, Smolen D, LeBourdais R, Muhvich J, Eberman C, Hiller BE, Lee J, Regan K, Zheng S, Zhang S, Jiang J, Raslan AA, Breda JC, Pihl R, Traber K, Mazzilli S, Ligresti G, Mizgerd JP, Suki B, Nia HT. Crystal ribcage: a platform for probing real-time lung function at cellular resolution. Nat Methods. 2023 Nov; 20(11):1790-1801. PMID: 37710017.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/1/2023
Caporarello N, Ligresti G. Vascular Contribution to Lung Repair and Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2023 Aug; 69(2):135-146. PMID: 37126595.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/25/2023
Ruaro B, Tavano S, Confalonieri P, Pozzan R, Hughes M, Braga L, Volpe MC, Ligresti G, Andrisano AG, Lerda S, Geri P, Biolo M, Baratella E, Confalonieri M, Salton F. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy and pulmonary fibrosis: A never-ending story? Heliyon. 2023 Apr; 9(4):e14768. PMID: 37025914.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/20/2023
Raslan AA, Pham TX, Lee J, Hong J, Schmottlach J, Nicolas K, Dinc T, Bujor AM, Caporarello N, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Trojanowska M, Varelas X, Ligresti G. Single Cell Transcriptomics of Fibrotic Lungs Unveils Aging-associated Alterations in Endothelial and Epithelial Cell Regeneration. bioRxiv. 2023 Jan 20. PMID: 36712020.
Read at: PubMed
View 56 more publications: View full profile at BUMC