Giovanni Ligresti,PhD
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Rheumatology

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



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.

Member
Boston University
Pulmonary Center


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




Heterogeneity and Regulation of the DNA Methylome in IPF Mesenchymal Cells
02/01/2023 - 11/30/2026 (Subcontract PI)
Regents of the University of Michigan NIH NHLBI
1R01HL162963-01A1

Targeting vascular dysfunction to promote lung repair and fibrosis resolution
03/05/2022 - 02/28/2026 (PI)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R01HL158733-02

Epigenetic gene repression in pulmonary fibrosis
09/18/2019 - 06/30/2024 (PI)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R01HL142596-05



Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. 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; PMCID: PMC10070648; DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14768;
     
  2. 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.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36712020; PMCID: PMC9882122; DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.17.523179;
     
  3. Ligresti 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.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36603696; PMCID: PMC10068350; DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147142;
     
  4. Betageri 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; PMCID: PMC9925165; DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00248.2022;
     
  5. Ribatti D, Ligresti G, Nicosia RF. Kidney endothelial cell heterogeneity, angiocrine activity and paracrine regulatory mechanisms. Vascul Pharmacol. 2023 Feb; 148:107139. PMID: 36539108
     
  6. Gao AY, Diaz Espinosa AM, Gianì F, Pham TX, Carver CM, Aravamudhan A, Bartman CM, Ligresti G, Caporarello N, Schafer MJ, Haak AJ. Pim-1 kinase is a positive feedback regulator of the senescent lung fibroblast inflammatory secretome. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2022 Dec 01; 323(6):L685-L697.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36223640; PMCID: PMC9744654; DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00023.2022;
     
  7. Caporarello N, Lee J, Pham TX, Jones DL, Guan J, Link PA, Meridew JA, Marden G, Yamashita T, Osborne CA, Bhagwate AV, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Tschumperlin DJ, Trojanowska M, Ligresti G. Author Correction: Dysfunctional ERG signaling drives pulmonary vascular aging and persistent fibrosis. Nat Commun. 2022 Sep 28; 13(1):5687.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36171208; PMCID: PMC9519969; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33197-w;
     
  8. Caporarello N, Lee J, Pham TX, Jones DL, Guan J, Link PA, Meridew JA, Marden G, Yamashita T, Osborne CA, Bhagwate AV, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Tschumperlin DJ, Trojanowska M, Ligresti G. Dysfunctional ERG signaling drives pulmonary vascular aging and persistent fibrosis. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 25; 13(1):4170.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35879310; PMCID: PMC9314350; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31890-4;
     
  9. Ligresti G, Pham TX, Sanders YY. Circular RNA Methylation: A New Twist in Lung Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2022 May; 66(5):471-472.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35238732; PMCID: PMC9116359; DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2022-0044ED;
     
  10. Pham TX, Lee J, Guan J, Caporarello N, Meridew JA, Jones DL, Tan Q, Huang SK, Tschumperlin DJ, Ligresti G. Transcriptional analysis of lung fibroblasts identifies PIM1 signaling as a driver of aging-associated persistent fibrosis. JCI Insight. 2022 Mar 22; 7(6).View Related Profiles. PMID: 35167499; PMCID: PMC8986080; DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.153672;
     
Showing 10 of 58 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 58 publications over 17 distinct years, with a maximum of 7 publications in 2019 and 2022

YearPublications
20061
20072
20085
20092
20102
20114
20123
20133
20152
20161
20174
20183
20197
20204
20215
20227
20233
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72 East Concord Street
Boston MA 02118
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