Giovanni Ligresti PhD
Associate Professor, Rheumatology
Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
72 East Concord Street | (617) 358-6786ligresti@bu.edu
Sections
Rheumatology
Centers
Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center
Pulmonary Center
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.
Education
Biomedical Sciences, PhD, University of Trieste
MS, University of Trieste
Biology, BS, University of Trieste
Publications
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 Feb 02; e2308760. PMID: 38306610.
Published on 1/24/2024Chakraborty 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.
Published on 10/1/2023Liang 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.
Published on 9/14/2023Banerji 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.
Published on 8/1/2023Caporarello N, Ligresti G. Vascular Contribution to Lung Repair and Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2023 Aug; 69(2):135-146. PMID: 37126595.
Published on 3/25/2023Ruaro 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.
Published on 1/20/2023Raslan 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.
Published on 1/2/2023Ligresti G, Raslan AA, Hong J, Caporarello N, Confalonieri M, Huang SK. Mesenchymal cells in the Lung: Evolving concepts and their role in fibrosis. Gene. 2023 Apr 05; 859:147142. PMID: 36603696.
Published on 12/27/2022Betageri KR, Link PA, Haak AJ, Ligresti G, Tschumperlin DJ, Caporarello N. The matricellular protein CCN3 supports lung endothelial homeostasis and function. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2023 Feb 01; 324(2):L154-L168. PMID: 36573684.
Published on 12/17/2022Ribatti D, Ligresti G, Nicosia RF. Kidney endothelial cell heterogeneity, angiocrine activity and paracrine regulatory mechanisms. Vascul Pharmacol. 2023 Feb; 148:107139. PMID: 36539108.
Media Mentions
Published on 7/25/2022
Researchers identify protein connected to aging and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
View full list of 1 media mentions.