Giovanni Ligresti, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of 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.

Publications

  • Published 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 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 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 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 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

View All 66 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Member, Pulmonary Center
    Boston University
  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

  • University of Trieste, PhD
  • University of Trieste, MS
  • University of Trieste, BS

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