Partnership/collaborations with Drug Companies
•    GSK, Verona, Italy: development of mGlu receptor ligands; characterization of the role of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors in mechanisms of neurodegeneration/neuroprotection.
•    Lundbeck, Milan, Italy: Development of memantin in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
•    Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, USA: study of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptor ligands in acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
•    Roche, Basel, Switzerland: Development of mGlu1 receptor enhancers.
•    Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland: Development of mGlu4 and mGlu5 receptor ligands.
•    Novartis Pharma, Milan, Italy: Development of fingolimod in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
•    Pfizer, Italy: Development of pregabalin in the treatment of chronic pain and generalized anxiety disorder.
•    Servier, Paris, France: development of agomelatine in the treatment of major depression.
•    Sigma-Tau, Pomezia, Italy and Biofutura, Milan: Characterization of the mechanism of action of L-Acetylcarnitine in the CNS.

Past and present scientific collaborations with Universities:
•    Prof. R. Pellicciari, Institute of Chemistry University of Perugia;
•    Prof. S. Ruggieri, Department of Neurological Sciences, University “Sapienza”, Roma
•    Prof. A. Calogero, Department of Experimental Medicine, University “Sapienza”, Roma
•    Dr. M.V. Catania, I.B.F.S.N.C., CNR, Catania;
•    Prof. M.A. Sortino, Institute of Parmacology, University of Catania;
•    Prof. F. Fornai, Department of Human Morphology and Applied Biology, University of Pisa
•    Prof. M. Amalric, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition CNRS UMR, Université de Provence, Marsiglia, Francia.
•    Prof.ssa U. Grohmann, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia;
•    Prof. A. Pittaluga, Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova.
•    Dr. E. Aronica, Department of Neuropathology, Academisch Medisch Centrum, University of Amsterdam, The Netherland.
•    Dott. G. Carpinelli, Department of Cellular Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma.
•    Dott. S. Pazzaglia, Biotechnology Unit, Research Center Casaccia, Roma.
•    Prof. M. Piacentini, Department of Biology, University ‘Tor Vergata’, Roma.
•    Dr. M.P. Vairetti, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia.
•    Prof. P. Seeman, Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Canada.
•    Prof. F. Orzi, Department of Neurology, University “Sapienza”, Roma
•    Prof. G. De Sarro, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Catanzaro;
•    Prof. E.L.J.M. van Luijtelaar, University of Radboud, Nijmegen, The netherland;
•    Prof. V. Ceña, Instituto de Neurociencias y Departamento de Farmacología,
Universidad “Miguel Hernández”, Alicante, Spagna;

PUBBLICAZIONI PIÙ RECENTI

Nicoletti F., Bruno V., Copani A., Casabona G., Knoepfel T. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: a new target for the therapy of neurodegenerative disorders? Trends in Neurosci., 19 (7): 267-271, 1996.

Bruno V., Copani A., Bonanno L., Knoepfel T., Kuhn R., Roberts P.J., Nicoletti F. Activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors is neuroprotective in cortical cultures. Eur. J. Pharmacol., 310: 61-66, 1996.

Bertino L., Castiglione Ruffini M., Copani A., Bruno V., Raciti G., Cambria A., Nicoletti F. Growth conditions influence DNA methylation in cultured cerebellar granule cells. Dev. Brain Res., 95: 38-43, 1996.

Di Iorio P., Battaglia G., Ciccarelli R., Ballerini P., Giuliani P., Poli A., Nicoletti F., Caciagli F. Interaction between A1 and class II metabotropic glutamate receptors in the regulation of purine and glutamate release from rat hippocampal slices. J. Neurochem., 1996.

Sortino M.A., Aleppo G., Copani A., Casabona G., Nicoletti F., Ventra C., Kuhn R., Knoepfel T., Malitschek B., Canonico P.L. Immortalized hypothalamic neurons express a novel metabotropic glutamate receptor positively coupled to cyclic AMP formation. Eur. J. Neurosci. 8: 2407-2415, 1996.

Thomsen C., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., Marinozzi M., Nicoletti F., Pellicciari R. (2S,1’S,2’S,3’R)-2-(2’-carboxy-3’-phenylcyclopropyl)glycine, a potent and selective antagonist of type II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Mol. Pharmacol., 50: 6-9, 1996.

Condorelli D.F., Dell’Albani P., Corsaro M., Giuffrida R., Caruso A., Trovato Salinaro A., Spinella F., Nicoletti F., Albanese V., Giuffrida-Stella A.M. Metabotropic glutamate receptor expression in cultured rat astrocytes and human gliomas. Neurochem. Res., 22: 1127-1133, 1997.

Casabona G., Knoepfel T., Kuhn R., Gasparini F., Baumann P., Sortino M.A., Copani A., Nicoletti F. Expression and coupling to polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in early postnatal and adult rat brain. Eur. J. Neurosci. 9: 12-17,1997.

Bruno V., Sureda F.X., Storto M., Casabona G., Caruso A., Knopfel T., Kuhn R., Nicoletti F. The neuroprotective activity of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors requires new protein synthesis and involves a glial-neuronal signaling. J. Neurosci. 17(6): 1891-1897, 1997.

Ciccarelli R., Sureda F.X., Casabona G., Di Iorio P., Caruso A., Spinella F., Condorelli D.F., Nicoletti F., Caciagli F. Opposite influence of the metabotropic glutamate receptors subtypes  mGlu3 and -5 on astrocyte proliferation in culture. Glia, 21: 390-398, 1997.

Sureda F., Copani A., Bruno V., Knopfel T., Meltzger R., Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists stimulate polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 338, R1-R2 1997.

Bruno V., Wroblewska B., Wroblewski J.T., Fiore L., Nicoletti F. Neuroprotective activity of N-acetylaspartylglutamate in cultured cortical cells. Neurosci. 85, 751-757, 1998.

G. Casabona, M.V. Catania, M. Storto, N. Ferraris, I. Perroteau, A. Fasolo, F. Nicoletti,  P. Bovolin. Deafferentation up-regulates the exrpession of the mGlu1a metabotropic glutamate receptor protein in the olfactory bulb. Eur. J. Neurosci. 10, 1998.

Copani, G. Casabona, V. Bruno, A. Caruso, D.F. Condorelli, A. Messina, V. Di Giorgi Gerevini, J.-P. Pin, R. Kuhn, T. Knopfel and F. Nicoletti. The metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5 controls the onset of developmental apoptosis in cultured cerebellar neurons. Eur. J. Neurosci. 10: 2173-2184, 1998.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Casabona G., Copani A., Caciagli F. and Nicoletti F. Neuroprotection by glial metabotropic glutamate receptors is mediated by transforming growth factor-. J. Neurosci.18 (23): 9594-9600, 1998.

G. Battaglia, V. Bruno, R. Ngomba, R. Di Grezia, A. Copani and F. Nicoletti. Selective activation of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective against excitotoxic neuronal death. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 356: 271-274, 1998.

Kingston A.E., O’Neill M.J., Bond A., Bruno V., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F., Harris J.R., Clark B.P., Monn J.A., Lodge D., Schoepp D.D. Neuroprotective actions of novel and potent ligands of group I and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Ann N Y Acad Sci., 890: 438, 1999.

Copani A., Condorelli F., Caruso A., Vancheri C., Sala A., Giuffrida Stella A.M., Canonico P.L., Nicoletti F., Sortino M.A. Mitotic signaling by beta-amyloid causes neuronal death. FASEB J., 13(15): 2225-34, 1999.

Nicoletti F., Bruno V., Catania M.V., Battaglia G., Copani A., Barbagallo G., Cena V., Sanchez-Prieto J., Spano P.F., Pizzi M. Group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors: hypotheses to explain their dual role in neurotoxicity and neuroprotection. Neuropharmacology., 38(10): 1477-84, 1999.

Ciccarelli R., Di Iorio P., Bruno V., Battaglia G., D’Alimonte I., D’Onofrio M., Nicoletti F., Caciagli F. Activation of A(1) adenosine or mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptors enhances the release of nerve growth factor and S-100beta protein from cultured astrocytes. Glia, 27:275-81, 1999.

Poli A., Lucchi R., Storto M., De Paolis P., Notari S., Nicoletti F., Casabona G. Predominant expression of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors in the goldfish brain. Brain Res., 834: 142-5, 1999.

Catania M.V., Copani A., Calogero A., Ragonese G.I., Condorelli D.F., Nicoletti F. An enhanced expression of the immediate early gene, Egr-1, is associated with neuronal apoptosis in culture. Neuroscience, 91:1529-38, 1999.

Gasparini F., Bruno V., Battaglia G., Lukic S., Leonhardt T., Inderbitzin W., Laurie D., Sommer B., Varney M.A., Hess S.D., Johnson E.C., Kuhn R., Urwyler S., Sauer D., Portet C., Schmutz M., Nicoletti F., Flor P.J. (R,S)-4-phosphonophenylglycine, a potent and selective group III metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, is anticonvulsive and neuroprotective in vivo. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 289: 1678-87, 1999.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Kingston A., O’Neill M.J., Catania M.V., Di Grezia R., Nicoletti F. Neuroprotective activity of the potent and selective mGlu1a metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, (+)-2-methyl-4 carboxyphenylglycine (LY367385): comparison with LY357366, a broader spectrum antagonist with equal affinity for mGlu1a and mGlu5 receptors. Neuropharmacology, 38: 199-207, 1999.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Copani A., Casabona G., Storto M., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Ngomba R., Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate receptors and neurodegeneration. Prog Brain Res., 116:209-21, 1998.

Rampello L., Fr. Nicoletti and F. Nicoletti. Dopamine and depression: role in aetiology and therapeutic implications. CNS Drugs, 1999.

Fornai F., Battaglia G., Gesi M., Giorgi F.S., Orzi F., Nicoletti F., Ruggieri S. Time-course and dose-response study on the effects of chronic L-DOPA administration on striatal dopamine levels and dopamine transporter following MPTP toxicity. Brain Res., 887:110-7, 2000.

Sallese M., Salvatore L., D’Urbano E., Sala G., Storto M., Launey T., Nicoletti F., Knopfel T., De Blasi A. The G-protein-coupled receptor kinase GRK4 mediates homologous desensitization of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1. FASEB J., 14:2569-80, 2000.

Battaglia G., Rassoulpour A., Wu H.Q., Hodgkins P.S., Kiss C., Nicoletti F., Schwarcz R. Some metabotropic glutamate receptor ligands reduce kynurenate synthesis in rats by intracellular inhibition of kynurenine aminotransferase II. J. Neurochem., 75:2051-60, 2000.

Storto M., De Grazia U., Battaglia G., Felli M.P., Maroder M., Gulino A., Ragona G., Nicoletti F., Screpanti I., Frati L., Calogero A. Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in murine thymocytes and thymic stromal cells. J Neuroimmunol., 109:112-20, 2000.

Bruno V., Ksiazek I., Battaglia G., Lukic S., Leonhardt T., Sauer D., Gasparini F., Kuhn R., Nicoletti F., Flor P.J. Selective blockade of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 is neuroprotective. Neuropharmacology, 39: 2223-30, 2000.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Ksiazek I., van der Putten H., Catania M.V., Giuffrida R., Lukic S., Leonhardt T., Inderbitzin W., Gasparini F., Kuhn R., Hampson D.R., Nicoletti F., Flor P.J. Selective activation of mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective against excitotoxic neuronal death. J. Neurosci., 20: 6413-20, 2000.

Riedel G., Casabona G., Platt B., Macphail E.M., Nicoletti F. Fear conditioning-induced time- and subregion-specific increase in expression of mGlu5 receptor protein in rat hippocampus. Neuropharmacology, 39: 1943-51, 2000.

Bruno V., Copani A., Besong G., Scoto G., Nicoletti F. Neuroprotective activity of chemokines against N-methyl-D-aspartate or beta-amyloid-induced toxicity in culture. Eur J Pharmacol., 399:117-21, 2000.

Copani A., Romano C., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Nicosia A., Casabona G., Storto M., Mutel V., Nicoletti F. Reducing conditions differentially affect the functional and structural properties of group-I and -II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Brain Res., 867: 165-72, 2000.

Frati C., Marchese C., Fisichella G., Copani A., Nasca M.R., Storto M., Nicoletti F. Expression of functional mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors in human melanocytes. J Cell Physiol., 183:364-72, 2000.

Battaglia G., La Russa M., Bruno V., Arenare L., Ippolito R., Copani A., Bonina F., Nicoletti F. Systemically administered D-glucose conjugates of 7-chlorokynurenic acid are centrally available and exert anticonvulsant activity in rodents. Brain Res., 860: 149-56, 2000.

Storto M., De Grazia U., Knopfel T., Canonico P.L., Copani A., Richelmi P., Nicoletti F., Vairetti M. Selective blockade of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors protects rat hepatocytes against hypoxic damage. Hepatology, 31: 649-55, 2000.

Buzzi M.G., Di Gennaro G., D’Onofrio M., Ciccarelli O., Santorelli F.M., Fortini D., Nappi G., Nicoletti F., Casali C. mtDNA A3243G MELAS mutation is not associated with multigenerational female migraine. Neurology, 54: 1005-7, 2000.

D’Onofrio M., Cuomo L., Battaglia G., Ngomba R.T., Storto M., Kingston A.E., Orzi F., De Blasi A., Di Iorio P., Nicoletti F., Bruno V. Neuroprotection mediated by glial group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors requires the activation of the MAP kinase and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathways. J. Neurochem., 78: 435-445, 2001.

Storto M., Sallese M., Salvatore L., Poulet R., Condorelli D.F., Dell’Albani P., Marcello M.F., Romeo R., Piomboni P., Barone N., Nicoletti F., Nicoletti F., De Blasi A. Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the rat and human testis. J Endocrinol., 170: 71-78, 2001.

Battaglia G., Bruno V., Pisani A., Centonze D., Catania M.V., Calabresi P., Nicoletti F. Selective blockade of type-1 metabotropic glutamate receptors induces neuroprotection by enhancing gabaergic transmission. Mol. Cell. Neurosci., 17:1071-83, 2001.

Melchiorri D., Bruno V., Besong G., Ngomba R.T., Cuomo L., De Blasi A., Copani A., Moschella C., Storto M., Nicoletti F., Lepperdinger G., Passarelli F. The mammalian homologue of the novel peptide Bv8 is expressed in the central nervous system and supports neuronal survival by activating the MAP kinase/PI-3-kinase pathways. Eur. J. Neurosci., 13: 1694-702, 2001.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Copani A., Cespedes V.M., Galindo M.F., Cena V., Sanchez-Prieto J., Gasparini F., Kuhn R., Flor P.J., Nicoletti F. An activity-dependent switch from facilitation to inhibition in the control of excitotoxicity by group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. Eur. J. Neurosci., 13: 1469-78, 2001.

Fornai F., Battaglia G., Gesi M., Orzi F., Nicoletti F., Ruggieri S. Dose-dependent protective effects of apomorphine against methamphetamine-induced nigrostriatal damage. Brain Res., 898: 27-35, 2001.

De Blasi A., Conn P.J., Pin J., Nicoletti F. Molecular determinants of metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 22:114-20, 2001.

Copani A., Uberti D., Sortino M.A., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., Memo M. Activation of cell-cycle-associated proteins in neuronal death: a mandatory or dispensable path? Trends Neurosci., 24:25-31, 2001.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Copani A., D’Onofrio M., Di Iorio P., De Blasi A., Melchiorri D., Flor J. P. and Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes as targets for neuroprotective drugs. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab., 21: 1013-1033, 2001.

Catania M.V., Bellomo M., Di Giorgi-Gerevini V., Seminara G., Giuffrida R., Romeo R., De Blasi A., Nicoletti F. Endogenous activation of group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors is required for differentiation and survival of cerebellar Purkinje cells. J. Neurosci., 21: 7664-73, 2001.

Rampello L., Chiechio S., Raffaele R., Vecchio I., Nicoletti F. The SSRI, citalopram, improves bradykinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease treated with L-dopa. Clin. Neuropharmacol., 25:21-4, 2002.

Battaglia G., Fornai F., Busceti C.L., Aloisi G., Cerrito F., De Blasi A., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F. Selective blockade of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective against methamphetamine neurotoxicity. J. Neurosci., 22: 2135-41, 2002.

Battaglia G., Busceti C.L., Cuomo L., Giorgi F.S., Orzi F., De Blasi A., Nicoletti F., Ruggieri S., Fornai F. Continuous subcutaneous infusion of apomorphine rescues nigro-striatal dopaminergic terminals following MPTP injection in mice. Neuropharmacology, 42: 367-73, 2002.

Copani A., Sortino M.A., Nicoletti F., Giuffrida S.A.. Alzheimer’s disease research enters a “new cycle”: how significant? Neurochem. Res., 27: 173-6, 2002.

Chiechio S., Caricasole A., Barletta E., Storto M., Catania M.V., Copani A., Vertechy M., Nicolai R., Calvani M., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F. L-Acetylcarnitine induces analgesia by selectively up-regulating mGlu2 metabotropic glutamate receptors. Mol. Pharmacol., 61: 989-96, 2002.

Copani A., Condorelli F., Canonico P.L., Nicoletti F., Sortino M.A. Cell cycle progression towards Alzheimer’s disease. Funct. Neurol., 16: 11-5, 2001.

Copani A., Melchiorri D., Caricasole A., Martini F., Sale P., Carnevale R., Gradini R., Sortino M.A., Lenti L., De Maria R., Nicoletti F.  Beta-amyloid-induced synthesis of the ganglioside GD3 is a requisite for cell cycle reactivation and apoptosis in neurons. J. Neurosci., 22: 3963-8, 2002.

Melchiorri D., Martini F., Lococo E., Gradini R., Barletta E., De Maria R., Caricasole A., Nicoletti F., Lenti L. An early increase in the disialoganglioside GD3 contributes to the development of neuronal apoptosis in culture. Cell Death Differ., 9: 609-615, 2002.

Besong G., Battaglia G., D’Onofrio M., Di Marco R., Ngomba R.T., Storto M., Castiglione M., Mangano K., Busceti C.L., Nicoletti F.R., Bacon K., Tusche M., Valenti O., Conn P.J., Bruno V., Nicoletti F.   Activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors inhibits the production of RANTES in glial cell cultures. J Neurosci., 22: 5403-11, 2002.

Battaglia G., Gesi M., Lenzi P., Busceti C.L., Soldani P., Orzi F., Rampello L., Nicoletti F., Ruggieri S., Fornai F. Morphological and biochemical evidence that apomorphine rescues striatal dopamine terminals and prevents methamphetamine toxicity. Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 965: 254-66, 2002.

Iacovelli L., Bruno V., Salvatore L., Melchiorri D., Gradini R., Caricasole A., Barletta E., De Blasi A., Nicoletti F. Native group-III metabotropic glutamate receptors are coupled to the mitogen-activated protein kinase/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathways. J. Neurochem., 82: 216-23, 2002.

Matrisciano F., Storto M., Ngomba R.T., Cappuccio I., Caricasole A., Scaccianoce S., Riozzi B., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F.  Imipramine treatment up-regulates the expression and function of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the rat hippocampus. Neuropharmacology, 42: 1008-1015, 2002.

Caricasole A., Bruno V., Cappuccio I., Melchiorri D., Copani A., Nicoletti F. A novel rat gene encoding a Humanin-like peptide endowed with broad neuroprotective activity. FASEB J., 16: 1331-3, 2002.

Copani A., Sortino M.A., Caricasole A., Chiechio S., Chisari M., Battaglia G., Giuffrida-Stella A.M., Vancheri C., Nicoletti F. Erratic expression of DNA polymerases by beta-amyloid causes neuronal death. FASEB J., 16: 2006-8, 2002.

Picconi B., Pisani A., Centonze D., Battaglia G., Storto M., Nicoletti F., Bernardi G., Calabresi P. Striatal metabotropic glutamate receptor function following experimental parkinsonism and chronic levodopa treatment. Brain, 125: 2635-45, 2002.

Iacovelli L., Salvatore L., Capobianco L., Picascia A., Barletta E., Storto M., Mariggio S., Sallese M., Porcellini A., Nicoletti F., De Blasi A. Role of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 4 and beta-arrestin 1 in agonist-stimulated metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 internalization and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. J. Biol. Chem., 278: 12433-12442. Epub 2003 Jan 07, 2003.

Storto M., Ngomba T.R., Battaglia G., Freitas I., Griffino P., Richelmi P., Nicoletti F., and Vairetti M. Selective blockade of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective against acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in mice. J. Hepatol., 38: 179-187, 2003.

D’Onofrio M., Arcella A., Bruno V., Battaglia G., Ngomba T. R., Lombari V., Ragona G., Calogero A. and Nicoletti F. Pharmacological blockade of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors reduces cell proliferation in cultured human glioma cells. J. Neurochem., 84: 1288-1295, 2003.

Caricasole A., Copani A., Caruso A., Caraci F., Iacovelli L., Sortino M.A., Terstappen G.C., Nicoletti F. The Wnt pathway, cell-cycle activation and beta-amyloid: novel therapeutic strategies in Alzheimer’s disease? Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 24: 233-238, 2003.

Scaccianoce S., Matrisciano F., Del Bianco P., Caricasole A., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Cappuccio I., Melchiorri D., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F. Endogenous activation of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Neuropharmacology, 44: 555-561, 2003.

Battaglia G., Busceti L.C., Pontarelli F., Fornai F., Paparelli A., Bruno V., Ruggieri S. and Nicoletti F. Protective role of group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors against nigro-striatal degeneration induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine in mice. Neuropharmacology, 45: 155-166, 2003.

Poli A., Beraudi A., Villani L., Storto M., Battaglia G., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Cappuccio I., Caricasole A., D’Onofrio M., and F. Nicoletti. Group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors regulate the vulnerability to hypoxic brain damage. J. Neurosci. , 23: 6023-6029, 2003.

Battaglia G., Fornai F., Busceti L.C., Lembo G., Nicoletti F. and De Blasi A. Alpha-1b adrenergic receptor knockout mice are protected against methamphetamine toxicity. J. Neurochem., 86: 413-421, 2003.

Caricasole A., Ferraro T., Iacovelli L., Barletta E., Caruso A., Melchiorri D., Terstappen G.C., Nicoletti F. Functional characterization of WNT7A signaling in PC12 cells: interaction with A FZD5 x LRP6 receptor complex and modulation by Dickkopf proteins. J. Biol. Chem., 278: 37024-37031. Epub 2003 Jul 11, 2003.

Manahan-Vaughan D., Ngomba R.T., Storto M., Kulla A., Catania M.V., Chiechio S., Rampello L., Passarelli F., Capece A., Reymann K.G., Nicoletti F. An increased expression of the mGlu5 receptor protein following LTP induction at the perforant path-dentate gyrus synapse in freely moving rats. Neuropharmacology, 44: 17-25, 2003.

Scaccianoce S., Del Bianco P., Caricasole A., Nicoletti F., Catalani A. Relationship between learning, stress and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Neuroscience, 121: 825-828, 2003.

Maj M, Bruno V., Dragic Z., Battaglia G., Inderbitzin W., Stein T., Gasparini F., Kuhn R., van der Putten H., Nicoletti F. and Flor J.P. (-)-PHCCC, a positive allosteric modulator selective for metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 4: pharmacological and molecular characterization. Neuropharmacology, 45: 895-906, 2003.

Cinque C., Zuena A.R., Casolini P., Ngomba R.T., Melchiorri D., Maccari S., Nicoletti F., DiGiorgi Gerevini V., Catalani A. Reduced activity of hippocampal group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors in learning-prone rats. Neuroscience, 122: 277-284, 2003.

Fornai F., Lenzi P., Gesi M., Soldani P, Ferrucci M, Lazzeri G., Capobianco L., Battaglia G., De Blasi A., Nicoletti F. and Paparelli A. Induction of lewy bodies by methamphetamine.  J. Neurochem., 88: 114-123, 2004.

Battaglia G., Busceti L.C., Molinaro G., Biagioni F., Storto M., Fornai F., Nicoletti F., Bruno V. Endogenous activation of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors contributes to the development of nigro-striatal damage induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine in mice. J. Neurosci., 24: 828-835, 2004.

Caruso A., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Castiglione M., Marinelli F., Tomassini V., Pozzilli C., Caricasole A., Bruno V., Caciagli F., Moretti A., Nicoletti F., Melchiorri D. Testosterone amplifies excitotoxic damage of cultured oligodendrocytes. J. Neurochem., 88: 1179-1185, 2004.

Di Giorgi Gerevini V.D., Caruso A., Cappuccio I., Ricci Vitiani L., Romeo S., Della Rocca C., Gradini R., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F. The mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptor is expressed in zones of active neurogenesis of the embryonic and postnatal brain. Brain Res. Dev. Brain Res., 150: 17-22, 2004.

Frasca G., Chiechio S., Vancheri C., Nicoletti F., Copani A., Sortino M.A. Beta-amyloid-activated cell cycle in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells: correlation with the MAP kinase pathway. J. Mol. Neurosci., 22: 231-236, 2004.

Sortino M.A., Chisari M., Merlo S., Vancheri C., Caruso M., Nicoletti F., Canonico P.L., Copani A. Glia mediates the neuroprotective action of estradiol on -amyloid-induced neuronal death. Endocrinology, 145(11):5080-6. Epub 2004 Aug 12., 2004.

Iacovelli L., Capobianco L., Iula M., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Picascia A., Blahos J., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F., De Blasi A. Regulation of mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling by type-2 G-protein coupled receptor kinase (GRK2). Mol. Pharmacol., 65: 1103-1010, 2004.

Chiechio S, Copani A, Melchiorri D, Canudas AM, Storto M, Calvani M, Nicolai R, Nicoletti F. Metabotropic receptors as targets for drugs of potential use in the treatment
of neuropathic pain. J Endocrinol Invest., 27(6 Suppl):171-6, 2004.

Di Iorio P., Ballerini P., Traversa U., Nicoletti F., D’Alimonte I., Kleywegt S., Werstiuk E.S., Rathbone M.P., Caciagli F., Ciccarelli R. The antiapoptotic effect of guanosine is mediated by the activation of the PI 3-kinase/AKT/PKB pathway in cultured rat astrocytes. Glia, 46: 356-68, 2004.

Storto M., Battaglia G., Gradini R., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., Vairetti M.P. Mouse hepatocytes lacking mGlu5 metabotropic  glutamate receptors  are less sensitive to hypoxic damage. Eur. J. Pharmacol., 497: 25-27, 2004.

Fornai F, Lenzi P, Gesi M, Ferrucci M, Lazzeri G, Capobianco L, de Blasi A, Battaglia G, Nicoletti F, Ruggieri S, Paparelli A. Similarities between methamphetamine toxicity and proteasome inhibition. Ann N Y Acad Sci., 1025:162-70, 2004.

Caricasole A., Copani A., Caraci F., Aronica E., Rozemuller A.J., Caruso A., Storto M., Gaviraghi G., Terstappen G.C., Nicoletti F. Induction of Dickkopf-1, a negative modulator of the Wnt pathway, is associated with neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer’s brain. J. Neurosci., 24: 6021-6027, 2004.

Castiglione M., Spinsanti P., Iacovelli L., Lenti L., Martini F., Gradini R., Di Giorgi Gerevini V., Caricasole A., Caruso A., De Maria R., Nicoletti F., Melchiorri D. Activation of Fas receptor is required for the increased formation of the disialoganglioside GD3 in cultured cerebellar granule cells committed to apoptotic death. Neuroscience, 126: 889-98, 2004.

Canudas A.M., DiGiorgi Gerevini V., Iacovelli L., D’Onofrio M., Arcella A., Giangaspero F., Busceti C.L., RicciVitiani L., Battaglia G., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F. PHCCC, a specific enhancer of mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptors, reduces proliferation and promotes differentiation of cerebellar granule cell neuroprecursors. J. Neurosci., 24:10343-10352, 2005.

Di Giorgi-Gerevini V., Melchiorri D., Battaglia G., Busceti L.C., Biagioni F., Ricci-Vitiani L., Iacovelli L., Canudas A.M., Bez A., Parati E., De Maria R., Nicoletti F. Endogenous activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors supports the proliferation and survival of neural stem cells. Cell Death Differ., 12(8):1124-33, 2005.

Calo L, Bruno V, Spinsanti P, Molinari G, Korkhov V, Esposito Z, Patane M, Melchiorri D, Freissmuth M, Nicoletti F. Interactions between ephrin-B and metabotropic glutamate 1 receptors in brain tissue and cultured neurons. J Neurosci., 25(9):2245-54, 2005.

Marganella C, Bruno V, Matrisciano F, Reale C, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Comparative effects of levobupivacaine and racemic bupivacaine on excitotoxic neuronal death in culture and N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced seizures in mice. Eur J Pharmacol., 518(2-3):111-5, 2005.

Matrisciano F., Scaccianoce S., Del Bianco P., Canudas A.M., Battaglia G., Tatarelli R., Melchiorri D., Nicoletti F. Pharmacological activation of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors shortens the latency of imipramine-induced down-regulation of -adrenergic receptors in the mouse hippocampus. J Neurochem., 93(5):1345-52, 2005.

Caraci F, Chisari M, Frasca G, Canonico PL, Battaglia A, Calafiore M, Battaglia G, Bosco P, Nicoletti F, Copani A, Sortino MA. Nicergoline, a drug used for age-dependent cognitive impairment, protects cultured neurons against beta-amyloid toxicity. Brain Res., 1047(1):30-7, 2005.

Simonyi A, Ngomba RT, Storto M, Catania MV, Miller LA, Youngs B, DiGiorgi-Gerevini V, Nicoletti F, Sun GY. Expression of groups I and II metabotropic glutamate receptors in the rat brain during aging. Brain Res., 1043(1-2):95-106, 2005.

Fornai F., Schlüter O.M., Lenzi P., Gesi M., Ruffoli R., Ferrucci M., Lazzeri G., Busceti C.L., Pontarelli F., Battaglia G., Pellegrini A, Nicoletti F., Ruggieri S., Paparelli A., Südhof C.T. Parkinson-Like Syndrome Induced by Continuous MPTP Infusion: Convergent Roles of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and -Synuclein. P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 102:3413-3418. Epub 2005 Feb 16, 2005.

Kramer D, Caruso A, Nicoletti F, Genazzani AA. Somatostatin and the somatostatin receptor 2 are reciprocally controlled by calcineurin during cerebellar granule cell maturation. J Neurochem., 94(5):1374-83, 2005.

Cappuccio I., Calderone A., Busceti C.L., Biagioni F., Pontarelli F., Bruno V., Storto M., Calderone A., Terstappen G.T., Gaviraghi G, Fornai F., Battaglia G., Melchiorri D., Zukin S., Nicoletti F., Caricasole A. Induction of Dickkopf-1, a negative modulator of the Wnt pathway, is required for the development of ischemic neuronal death. J. Neurosci., 25:2647-2657, 2005.

Calo L, Spillantini M, Nicoletti F, Allen ND. Nurr1 co-localizes with EphB1 receptors in the developing ventral midbrain, and its expression is enhanced by the EphB1 ligand, ephrinB2. J Neurochem., 92(2):235-45, 2005.

Arcella A., Carpinelli G., Battaglia G., D’Onofrio M., Santoro F., Ngomba T.R., Bruno V., Casolini P., Giangaspero F., Nicoletti F. Pharmacological blockade of group-II metabotropic  glutamate receptors reduces the growth of glioma cells in vivo. Neuro-oncol., 7(3):236-45, 2005.

Cappuccio I, Spinsanti P, Porcellini A, Desiderati F, De Vita T, Storto M, Capobianco L, Battaglia G, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Endogenous activation of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors supports self-renewal of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells. Neuropharmacology, 49 Suppl 1:196-205, 2005.

Ngomba R.T., Biagioni F., Casciato S., Willems-van Bree E., Battaglia G., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., van Luijtelaar E.L.J.M. Pharmacological blockade of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors reduces spike-wave discharges in the WAG/Rij rat model of absence epilepsy. Neuropharmacology, 49 Suppl 1:89-103, 2005.

Casolini P, Zuena AR, Cinque C, Matteucci P, Alema GS, Adriani W, Carpinelli G, Santoro F, Alleva E, Bosco P, Nicoletti F, Laviola G, Catalani A. Sub-neurotoxic neonatal anoxia induces subtle behavioural changes and specific abnormalities in brain group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors in rats. J. Neurochem., 2005, 95:137-145.

Conn PJ, Battaglia G, Marino MJ, Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate receptors in the basal ganglia motor circuit. Nat Rev Neurosci., 2005, 6:787-798.

Caricasole A, Bakker A, Copani A, Nicoletti F, Gaviraghi G, Terstappen GC. Two sides of the same coin: Wnt signaling in neurodegeneration and neuro-oncology. Biosci Rep., 2005, 25:309-327.

Ambrosini A, D’Onofrio M, Grieco GS, Di Mambro A, Montagna G, Fortini D, Nicoletti F, Nappi G, Sances G, Schoenen J, Buzzi MG, Santorelli FM, Pierelli F. Familial basilar migraine associated with a new mutation in the ATP1A2 gene. Neurology, 2005, 65:1826-1828.

Storto M., Capobianco L., Battaglia G., Molinaro G., Gradini R., Riozzi B., Mitchel K., Rutter G.Y., Nicoletti F. Insulin secretion is under the control of type-5 metabotropic glutamate receptors. Mol. Pharm., 2006, 69:1234-1241.

Calafiore M., Battaglia G., Zappalà A., Trovato-Salinaro E., Caraci F., Caruso M., Vancheri C., Sortino M.A., Nicoletti F.CopaniProgenitor cells from the adult mouse brain acquire a neuronal phenotype in response to -amyloid. Neurobiol Aging., 2006, 27:606-613.

Battaglia G, Busceti CL, Molinaro G, Biagioni F, Traficante A, Nicoletti F, Bruno V. Pharmacological activation of mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptors reduces nigrostriatal degeneration in mice treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. J Neurosci., 2006, 26:7222-7229.

Cappuccio I, Verani R, Spinsanti P, Niccolini C, Gradini R, Costantino S, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Context-dependent regulation of embryonic stem cell differentiation by mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptors. Neuropharmacology. 2006, 51:606-611.

Caruso A, Motolese M, Iacovelli L, Caraci F, Copani A, Nicoletti F, Terstappen GC, Gaviraghi G, Caricasole A. Inhibition of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway by apolipoprotein E4 in PC12 cells. J Neurochem., 2006, 98:364-371.

Calo L, Cinque C, Patane M, Schillaci D, Battaglia G, Melchiorri D, Nicoletti F, Bruno V. Interaction between ephrins/Eph receptors and excitatory amino acid receptors: possible relevance in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and in the pathophysiology of neuronal degeneration. J Neurochem. 2006, 98:1-10.

Chiechio S, Copani A, De Petris L, Morales ME, Nicoletti F, Gereau RW 4th. Transcriptional regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 expression by the NF-kappaB pathway in primary dDorsal root ganglia neurons: a possible mechanism for the analgesic effect of L-Acetylcarnitine. Mol Pain., 2:2-20, 2006.

Iacovelli L, Fulceri F, De Blasi A, Nicoletti F, Ruggieri S, Fornai F. The neurotoxicity of amphetamines: Bridging drugs of abuse and neurodegenerative disorders. Exp Neurol. 2006, 201(1):24-3.

Iacovelli L, Arcella A, Battaglia G, Pazzaglia S, Aronica E, Spinsanti P, Caruso A, De Smaele E, Saran A, Gulino A, D’Onofrio M, Giangaspero F, Nicoletti F.  Pharmacological activation of mGlu4 metabotropic glutamate receptors inhibits the growth of medulloblastomas. J Neurosci. 2006, 26:8388-97.

Scali C, Caraci F, Gianfriddo M, Diodato E, Roncarati R, Pollio G, Gaviraghi G, Copani A, Nicoletti F, Terstappen GC, Caricasole A. Inhibition of Wnt signaling, modulation of Tau phosphorylation and induction of neuronal cell death by DKK1. Neurobiol Dis., 2006, 24:254-265.

Spinsanti P, De Vita T, Di Castro S, Storto M, Formisano P, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Endogenously activated mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors sustain the increase in c-Myc expression induced by leukaemia inhibitory factor in cultured mouse embryonic stem cells.
J Neurochem., 99:299-307, 2006.

Fornai F, Lazzeri G, Bandettini Di Poggio A, Soldani P, De Blasi A, Nicoletti F, Ruggieri S, Paparelli A. Convergent roles of alpha-synuclein, DA metabolism, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system in nigrostriatal toxicity. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Aug;1074:84-9.

Copani A, Hoozemans JJ, Caraci F, Calafiore M, Van Haastert ES, Veerhuis R, Rozemuller AJ, Aronica E, Sortino MA, Nicoletti F. DNA polymerase-beta is expressed early in neurons of Alzheimer’s disease brain and is loaded into DNA replication forks in neurons challenged with
beta-amyloid. J Neurosci. 2006 Oct 25;26(43):10949-57.

Rampello L, Alvano A, Battaglia G, Bruno V, Raffaele R, Nicoletti F. Tic disorders: from pathophysiology to treatment. J Neurol. 2006, 253:1-15.

Battaglia G., Farrace M.G., Mastroberardino P.G., Viti I., Fimia G.M., Van Beeumen J., Devreese B., Molinaro G., Busceti C.L., Biagioni F., Nicoletti F., Piacentini M. Transglutaminase 2 ablation leads to defective function of mitochondrial respiratory complex I affecting neuronal vulnerability in experimental models of extrapyramidal disorders. J. Neurochem., 100:36-49, 2007.

Beraudi A., Bruno V., Battaglia G., Rampello L., Nicoletti F., Poli A. Pharmacological activation of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors protects retinal neurons against anoxic damage in the goldfish carassius auratus. Exp. Eye Res., 84:544-552, 2007.

Verani R., Cappuccio I., Spinsanti P., Gradini R., Caruso A., Magnotti MC., Motolese M., Nicoletti F., Melchiorri D. Expression of the Wnt inhibitor Dickkopf-1 is required for the induction of neural markers in mouse embryonic stem cells differentiating in response to retinoic acid. J. Neurochem., 100, 242-250, 2007.

Copani A., Caraci F., Hoozemans JJ., Calafiore M., Sortino MA., Nicoletti F. The nature of the cell cycle in neurons: Focus on a “non-canonical” pathway of DNA replication causally related to death. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1772:409-412, 2007.

Ciccarelli R, D’Alimonte I, Ballerini P, D’Auro M, Nargi E, Buccella S, Di Iorio P, Bruno V, Nicoletti F, Caciagli F. Molecular signalling mediating the protective effect of A1 adenosine and mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptor activation against apoptosis by oxygen/glucose
deprivation in cultured astrocytes. Mol Pharmacol. 2007 Feb 9; [Epub ahead of print]

Busceti C.L., Biagioni F., Aronica E., Riozzi B., Storto M., Battaglia G., Giorgi F.S., Gradini R., Fornai F., Caricasole A., Nicoletti F., Bruno V. Induction of the Wnt inhibitor, dickkopf-1, is associated with neurodegeneration related to temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia, 2007, 48: 694-705.

Nicoletti F., Arcella A., Iacovelli L., Battaglia G., Gìangaspero F., Melchiorri D. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: new targets for the control of tumor growth? Trends Pharmacol, 2007, 28: 206-213.

Corti C., Battaglia G., Molinaro G., Riozzi B., Pittaluga A., Corsi M., Nicoletti F., Bruno V. The use of knockout mice unravels distinct roles for mGlu2 and mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptors in mechanisms of neurodegeneration/neuroprotection. J. Neurosci., 2007, 27: 8297-8308.

Nicoletti F., Battaglia G., Storto M., Ngomba R., Iacovelli L., Arcella A., Gradini R., Sale P., Rampello L., De Vita T., Di Marco R., Melchiorri D., Bruno V. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: beyond the regulation of synaptic transmission. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2007, 32:S40-S45.

Traficante A., Riozzi B., Cannella M., Rampello L., Squitieri F., Battaglia G. Reduced activity of striatal glutamatergic fibres in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington’s disease. NeuroReport, 2007, 18: 1997-2000.

Copani A, Guccione S, Giurato L, Caraci F, Calafiore M, Sortino MA, Nicoletti F.  The cell cycle molecules behind neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease: perspectives for drug development.Curr Med Chem. 2008;15(24):2420-32.

Busceti CL, Biagioni F, Mastroiacovo F, Bucci D, Lenzi P, Pasquali L, Trabucco A, Nicoletti F, Fornai F. High number of striatal dopaminergic neurons during early postnatal development: correlation analysis with dopaminergic fibers. J Neural Transm. 2008, 115(10):1375-83.

Epifano F, Molinaro G, Genovese S, Ngomba RT, Nicoletti F, Curini M. Neuroprotective effect of prenyloxycoumarins from edible vegetables. Neurosci Lett. 2008, 443(2):57-60.

Nicoletti F, Collingridge G, Schoepp D. 2008 Eruptions in metabotropic glutamate receptors.
Neuropharmacology. 2008, 55(4):391.

Ciceroni C, Arcella A, Mosillo P, Battaglia G, Mastrantoni E, Oliva MA, Carpinelli G, Santoro F, Sale P, Ricci-Vitiani L, De Maria R, Pallini R, Giangaspero F, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Type-3 metabotropic glutamate receptors negatively modulate bone morphogenetic protein receptor signaling and support the tumourigenic potential of glioma-initiating cells. Neuropharmacology. 2008, 55(4):568-76.

Fazio F, Notartomaso S, Aronica E, Storto M, Battaglia G, Vieira E, Gatti S, Bruno V, Biagioni F, Gradini R, Nicoletti F, Di Marco R. Switch in the expression of mGlu1 and mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the cerebellum of mice developing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and in autoptic cerebellar samples from patients with multiple sclerosis. Neuropharmacology. 2008, 55(4):491-9.

Castiglione M, Calafiore M, Costa L, Sortino MA, Nicoletti F, Copani A. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors control proliferation, survival and differentiation of cultured neural progenitor cells isolated from the subventricular zone of adult mice. Neuropharmacology. 2008, 55(4):560-7.

Matrisciano F, Caruso A, Orlando R, Marchiafava M, Bruno V, Battaglia G, Gruber SH, Melchiorri D, Tatarelli R, Girardi P, Mathè AA, Nicoletti F. Defective group-II metaboropic glutamate receptors in the hippocampus of spontaneously depressed rats. Neuropharmacology. 2008, 55(4):525-31.

Matrisciano F, Bonaccorso S, Ricciardi A, Scaccianoce S, Panaccione I, Wang L, Ruberto A, Tatarelli R, Nicoletti F, Girardi P, Shelton RC. Changes in BDNF serum levels in patients with major depression disorder (MDD) after 6 months treatment with sertraline, escitalopram, or venlafaxine. J Psychiatr Res. 2008 May 27.

Zuena AR, Mairesse J, Casolini P, Cinque C, Alemà GS, Morley-Fletcher S, Chiodi V, Spagnoli LG, Gradini R, Catalani A, Nicoletti F, Maccari S. Prenatal restraint stress generates two distinct behavioral and neurochemical profiles in male and female rats. PLoS ONE. 2008, 3(5):e2170.

Bikbaev A, Neyman S, Ngomba RT, Conn J, Nicoletti F, Manahan-Vaughan D. MGluR5 mediates the interaction between late-LTP, network activity, and learning. PLoS ONE. 2008, 3(5):e2155.

D’Antoni S, Berretta A, Bonaccorso CM, Bruno V, Aronica E, Nicoletti F, Catania MV. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Glial Cells. Neurochem Res. 2008 Apr 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Caraci F, Busceti C, Biagioni F, Aronica E, Mastroiacovo F, Cappuccio I, Battaglia G, Bruno V, Caricasole A, Copani A, Nicoletti F.  The Wnt Antagonist, Dickkopf-1, as a Target for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Neurochem Res. 2008 Apr 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Messina S, Molinaro G, Bruno V, Battaglia G, Spinsanti P, Di Pardo A, Nicoletti F, Frati L, Porcellini A. Enhanced expression of Harvey ras induced by serum deprivation in cultured astrocytes. J Neurochem. 2008, 106(2):551-9.

Caraci F, Battaglia G, Busceti C, Biagioni F, Mastroiacovo F, Bosco P, Drago F, Nicoletti F, Sortino MA, Copani A. TGF-beta 1 protects against Abeta-neurotoxicity via the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway. Neurobiol Dis. 2008, 30(2):234-42.

Busceti CL, Biagioni F, Riozzi B, Battaglia G, Storto M, Cinque C, Molinaro G, Gradini R, Caricasole A, Canudas AM, Bruno V, Nicoletti F, Fornai F. Enhanced tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus of mice treated with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“Ecstasy”). J Neurosci. 2008, 28(12):3234-45.

Caraci F, Gili E, Calafiore M, Failla M, La Rosa C, Crimi N, Sortino MA, Nicoletti F, Copani A, Vancheri C. TGF-beta1 targets the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin pathway via ERK activation in the transition of human lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Pharmacol Res. 2008, 57(4):274-82.

Sarichelou I, Cappuccio I, Ferranti F, Mosillo P, Ciceroni C, Sale P, Stocchi F, Battaglia G, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. Metabotropic glutamate receptors regulate differentiation of embryonic stem cells into GABAergic neurons. Cell Death Differ. 2008, 15(4):700-7.

Matrisciano F, Zusso M, Panaccione I, Turriziani B, Caruso A, Iacovelli L, Noviello L, Togna G, Melchiorri D, Debetto P, Tatarelli R, Battaglia G, Nicoletti F, Giusti P, Girardi P.  Synergism between fluoxetine and the mGlu2/3 receptor agonist, LY379268, in an in vitro model for antidepressant drug-induced neurogenesis. Neuropharmacology. 2008, 54(2):428-37.

Mastroiacovo F, Busceti CL, Biagioni F, Moyanova SG, Meisler MH, Battaglia G, Caricasole A, Bruno V, Nicoletti F. Induction of the Wnt antagonist, Dickkopf-1,  contributes to the development of neuronal death in models of brain focal ischemia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2009 Feb;29(2):264-76.

Ferraguti F, Crepaldi L, Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate 1 receptor: current concepts and perspectives. Pharmacol Rev. 2008 Dec;60(4):536-81.

Iacovelli L, Molinaro G, Battaglia G, Motolese M, Di Menna L, Alfiero M, Blahos J, Matrisciano F, Corsi M, Corti C, Bruno V, De Blasi A, Nicoletti F. Regulation of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors by G protein-coupled receptor kinases: mGlu2 receptors are resistant to homologous desensitization. Mol Pharmacol. 2009 Apr;75(4):991-1003.

Molinaro G, Battaglia G, Riozzi B, Di Menna L, Rampello L, Bruno V, Nicoletti F. Memantine treatment reduces the expression of the K(+)/Cl(-) cotransporter KCC2 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, and attenuates behavioural responses mediated by GABA(A) receptor activation in mice. Brain Res. 2009 Apr 10;1265:75-9.

Chiechio S, Zammataro M, Caraci F, Rampello L, Copani A, Sabato AF, Nicoletti F. Pregabalin in the treatment of chronic pain: an overview. Clin Drug Investig. 2009;29(3):203-13.

Chiechio S, Zammataro M, Morales ME, Busceti CL, Drago F, Gereau RW 4th, Copani A, Nicoletti F. Epigenetic modulation of mGlu2 receptors by histone deacetylase inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory pain. Mol Pharmacol. 2009 May;75(5):1014-20.

Van Waes V, Enache M, Zuena A, Mairesse J, Nicoletti F, Vinner E, Lhermitte M, Maccari S, Darnaudéry M. Ethanol Attenuates Spatial Memory Deficits and Increases mGlu1a Receptor Expression in the Hippocampus of Rats Exposed to Prenatal Stress. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Apr 30.

Salemi M, Romano C, Barone C, Calí F, Caraci F, Romano C, Scavuzzo C, Scillato F, Salluzzo MG, Piccione M, Martines M, Corsello G, Nicoletti F, Bosco P. SPANX-B and SPANX-C (Xq27 region) gene dosage analysis in Down’s syndrome subjects with undescended testes. J Genet. 2009 Apr;88(1):93-7.

D’Onofrio M, Ambrosini A, Di Mambro A, Arisi I, Santorelli FM, Grieco GS, Nicoletti F, Nappi G, Pierelli F, Schoenen J, Buzzi MG. The interplay of two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CACNA1A gene may contribute to migraine susceptibility. Neurosci Lett. 2009 Mar 27;453(1):12-5.

Molinaro G, Traficante A, Riozzi B, Di Menna L, Curto M, Pallottino S,Nicoletti F, Bruno V, Battaglia G. Activation of mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptors negatively regulates the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine2A serotonin receptors in the frontal cortex of living mice. Mol Pharmacol. 2009 Aug;76(2):379-87.

Nicoletti F, Gradini R, Bassi PF, Rampello L. Lyrica cures the tenor. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2009 Mar-Apr;32(2):119.

Battaglia G., Molinaro G., Riozzi B., Storto M., Spinsanti P., De Vita T., Mudò G., Corti C., Corsi M., Nicoletti F., Bruno V., Belluardo N. Activation of mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptors enhances the production of glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor. Plos One, 2009, 4(8):e6591.

Caraci F., Battaglia G., Bruno V., Bosco P., Carbonaro V., Giuffrida M.L., Drago F., Sortino M.A, Nicoletti F., Copani A. TGF-β1 pathway as a new target for neuroprotection in Alzheimer’s disease. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics 2010, In press.

Piccinin S., Cinque C., Calò L., Molinaro G., Battaglia G., Maggi L.,  Nicoletti F., Melchiorri D., Eusebi F., Massey P., Bashir I.Z. Interaction between ephrins and mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the induction of long-term synaptic depression in the hippocampus. J. Neurosci., 2010, 30(8):2835-2843.

Chiechio S., Copani A., Zammataro M., Battaglia G., Gereau IV W.R., Nicoletti F. Transcriptional regulation of type-2 metabotropic glutamate receptors: an epigenetic path to novel treatments for chronic pain. Trends Pharmacol., 2010, 31(4):153-60.

Battaglia G., Cannella M., Riozzi B., Orobello S., Maat-Schieman M.L., Aronica E., Busceti C.L., Ciarmiello A., Sassone J., Ciammola A., Pouladi M.A., Hayden M.R., Sipione S., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., Squitieri F. Early defect of transforming growth factor -1 formation in Huntington’s disease. J. Cell. Mol. Med., 2010, In press.

Molinaro G., Pietracupa S., Di Menna L., Pescatori L., Usiello A., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F., Bruno V. D-aspartate activates mGlu receptors coupled to polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in neonate rat brain slices. Neurosci. Lett., 2010, 478(3):128-130.

Fallarino F., Volpi C., Fazio F., Notartomaso S., Vacca C., Busceti C.L., Bicciato S., Battaglia G., Bruno V., Puccetti P., Fioretti C.M., Nicoletti F., Grohmann U., Di Marco R. Metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 impacts adaptive immunity restraining neuroinflammation. Nat. Med., 2010, 16(8):897-902.

Dubinsky R, Roberson J, Battaglia G, Cannella M, Riozzi B, Orobello S, Maat-Schieman ML, Aronica E, Busceti CL, Ciarmiello A, Alberti S, Sassone J, Sipione S, Bruno V, Frati L, Nicoletti F, Squitieri F, Rao A, Gordon A, Marder K, Nolta J, Anderson K, Gruber-Baldini A, Medalie J, Reich S, Fishman P, Robottom B, Weiner W, Shulman L, Langbehn D, Paulsen J; PREDICT-HD Investigators of the Huntington Study Group, Witten C, Cox M, Feigin A, Napolitano B, Goh A, Yastrubetskaya O, Chiu E, Cloud L, Helmers S, Jones R, Factor S, Emory CT, Kegelmeyer D, Kostyk S, Fritz N, Kloos A, Lessig S, Goldstein J, Corey-Bloom J, Simonelli M, Martino T, Colonnese C, Callaghan J, Arran N, Boisse MF, Coleman A,  Dar Santos R, Dumas E, Hart E, Justo D, Read J, Say M, Van Den Bogaard S, Durr A, Leavitt B, Roos R, Tabrizi S, Bourdet C, van Duijn E, Craufurd D; TRACK-FID Investigators, Evans K, Vaccarino A; TRACK-HD Investigators, Aylward E, Nopoulos P, Ross C, Pierson R, Mills J, Magnotta V, Johnson H; PREDICT-HD Investigators and Coordinators of the Huntington Study Group, Mitchell A, Cortes JC, Dahmubed A, Krakauer J, Mazzoni P, Russell D, Jennings D, Tamagnan G, Seibyl J, Koren A, Zubal G, Marek K, Goodman L, Carnes R, Giuliano J, Vetter L, Macdonald M, Lee JM, Seong IS, Fossale E, Anderson MA, Wheeler V, Gusella J, Johnson J, Yu T, Jones D, Chan A, Richardson K, McCusker E, Loy C, Griffith J, Paulsen JS; PREDICT-HD Investigators of the Huntington Study Group, Waters S, Tedroff J, Kieburtz K, Krogh PL, Buusman A, Rembratt A, Dorey J, Lamure M, Toumi M, von der Schulenburg  JM, Pettersson F, Dyhring T, Sonesson C, Waters N, Pontén H, Erwin C, Williams J, Juhl A; Investigators of the Huntington Study Group; Huntington Study Group PHAROS Investigators, Adams W, Byars J, O’Rourke J, Flynn A, Fiedorowicz J, Duff K, Leserman A, Beglinger L, Smith M, Stout J, Queller S, Rao S, Zimbelman J, Groves M, Guttman M, Wexler E, Perlman S, Burgunder JM, Rosenblatt A, van Kammen D; PREDICT-HD Investigators of the Huntington Study Group. Third annual huntington disease clinical research symposium : organized by the Huntington study group. Neurotherapeutics. 2010 Jan;7(1):135-47.

Nicoletti F, Bockaert J, Collingridge GL, Conn PJ, Ferraguti F, Schoepp DD, Wroblewski JT, Pin JP. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: From the workbench to the bedside. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Oct 29.

Cappuccio I, Colapicchioni C, Santangelo V, Sale P, Blandini F, Bonelli M, Niccolini C, Busceti C, Bucci D, Nicoletti F, Melchiorri D. The origin recognition complex subunit, ORC3, is developmentally regulated and supports the expression of biochemical markers of neuronal maturation in cultured cerebellar granule cells. Brain Res. 2010 Oct 28;1358:1-10.

Giuffrida ML, Caraci F, De Bona P, Pappalardo G, Nicoletti F, Rizzarelli E, Copani A. The monomer state of beta-amyloid: where the Alzheimer’s disease protein meets physiology. Rev Neurosci. 2010;21(2):83-93.

Bosco D, Consoli D, Lanza PL, Plastino M, Nicoletti F, Ceccotti C. Complete oculomotor palsy caused by persistent trigeminal artery. Neurol Sci. 2010 Oct;31(5):657-9.

Matrisciano F, Nasca C, Molinaro G, Riozzi B, Scaccianoce S, Raggi MA, Mercolini L, Biagioni F, Mathè AA, Sanna E, Maciocco E, Pignatelli M, Biggio G, Nicoletti F. Enhanced expression of the neuronal K+/Cl- cotransporter, KCC2, in spontaneously depressed Flinders Sensitive Line rats. Brain Res. 2010 Apr 14;1325:112-20.

Matrisciano F, Modafferi AM, Togna GI, Barone Y, Pinna G, Nicoletti F, Scaccianoce S. Repeated anabolic androgenic steroid treatment causes antidepressant-reversible alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, BDNF levels and behavior. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Jun;58(7):1078-84.

van Rijn CM, Gaetani S, Santolini I, Badura A, Gabova A, Fu J, Watanabe M, Cuomo V, van Luijtelaar G, Nicoletti F, Ngomba RT. WAG/Rij rats show a reduced expression of CB₁ receptors in thalamic nuclei and respond to the CB₁ receptor agonist, R(+)WIN55,212-2, with a reduced incidence of spike-wave discharges. Epilepsia. 2010 Aug;51(8):1511-21.

Bruno V., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F. The advent of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of chronic autoimmune diseases. Neurol Sci. 2011 Jan;31 Suppl 3:283-8.

Matrisciano F., Busceti C.L., Bucci D., Orlando R.M., Caruso A., Molinaro G., Cappuccio I., Riozzi B., Gradini R., Caraci F., Copani A., Scaccianoce S., Melchiorri D., Bruno V., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F. Induction of the Wnt antagonist, dickkopf-1, is required for stress-induced hippocampal damage in mice. PlosOne, 2011. 6(1):e16447

D’Antoni S., Berretta A., Seminara G., Longone P., Giuffrida-Stella A.M., Battaglia G., Sortino M.A., Nicoletti F., Catania M.V. Pharmacological blockade of type-5 metabotropic glutamate receptors protects cultured spinal cord motor neurons against excitotoxic death. Neurobiol Dis. 2011 Jan 11.

Moyanova S., Mastroiacovo F., Kortenska L., Mitreva R., Fardone E., Santolini I., Sobrado M., Battaglia G., Bruno V., Nicoletti F., Ngomba T.R. Protective role for type-4 metabotropic glutamate receptors against ischemic brain damage. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab., 2010 Dec 15.

Ngomba R.T., Santolini I., Salt T., Ferraguti F., Battaglia G., Nicoletti F., Van Lujtelaar G. Metabotropic glutamate receptors as potential targets for the treatment of absence epilepsy. Epilepsia, 2011, In press.

Caraci F., Molinaro G., Battaglia G., Giuffrida M.L., Riozzi B., Traficante A., Bruno V., Cannella M., Merlo S., Drago F., Sortino M.A., Copani A., Nicoletti F. Targeting group-II metabotropic glutamate receptors for the treatment of psychosis associated with Alzheimer’s disease: dual activation of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors is neuroprotective, whereas selective activation of mGlu2 receptors amplifies β-amyloid toxicity. Mol. Pharmacolo., 2011, 79(3):618-26.

Caraci F, Pistarà V, Corsaro A, Tomasello F, Giuffrida ML, Sortino MA, Nicoletti F, Copani A. Neurotoxic properties of the anabolic androgenic steroids nandrolone and methandrostenolone in primary neuronal cultures. J Neurosci Res. 2011 Apr;89(4):592-600.

Ngomba RT, Santolini I, Biagioni F, Molinaro G, Simonyi A, van Rijn CM, D’Amore V, Mastroiacovo F, Olivieri G, Gradini R, Ferraguti F, Battaglia G, Bruno V, Puliti A, van Luijtelaar G, Nicoletti F. Protective role for type-1 metabotropic glutamate receptors against spike and wave discharges in the WAG/Rij rat model of absence epilepsy. Neuropharmacology. 2011 Jan 26. [Epub ahead of print].

Zammataro M, Chiechio S, Montana MC, Traficante A, Copani A, Nicoletti F, Gereau RW 4th. mGlu2 metabotropic glutamate receptors restrain inflammatory pain and mediate the analgesic activity of dual mGlu2/mGlu3 receptor agonists. Mol Pain. 2011 Jan 14;7:6.