Vincenzo Di Marzo

Vincenzo Di Marzo’s research activity has been dedicated to the understanding of the mechanisms of chemical communication between cells. His scientific career took an important turn when he began to study the biology of the chemical signals that act in our body on the same receptors as delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic/euphoric component of marijuana. These molecules, that he named endocannabinoids, have a crucial pleiotropic function as pro-homeostatic signals by regulating the function of other chemical signals in our organism. Any therapeutic tool – including some cannabinoids from Cannabis – that regulates either the tissue concentration or the action of endocannabinoids, can theoretically be used to treat diseases such as neuropsychiatric, neuroinflammatory and metabolic disorders. His over 750 publications on these topics gained Di Marzo a stable place in the list of about 6000 Highly Cited world scientists since 2014. He currently studies the chemical communication between the cells of our body and the microorganisms that stably populate it: the microbiome. As Director of the Joint International Unit for the Study of the Microbiome, between the CNR and the Université Laval in Quebec City (www.umilaval.cnr.it), Canada, he coordinates experiments on the interactions between the intestinal microbiome and endocannabinoids.

Chemical signalling


Bioactive lipids

Endocannabinoids

Endovanilloids

Cannabinoids

TRP
Channels

Microbiome

1. Iannotti FA, Pagano E, Guardiola O, Adinolfi S, Saccone V, Consalvi S, Piscitelli F, Gazzerro E, Busetto G, Carrella D, Capasso R, Puri PL, Minchiotti G, Di Marzo V. Genetic and pharmacological regulation of the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):3950. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30262909/

2. Cristino L, Busetto G, Imperatore R, Ferrandino I, Palomba L, Silvestri C, Petrosino S, Orlando P, Bentivoglio M, Mackie K, Di Marzo V. Obesity-driven synaptic remodeling affects endocannabinoid control of orexinergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110(24):E2229-38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23630288/

3. An endogenous capsaicin-like substance with high potency at recombinant and native vanilloid VR1 receptors. Huang SM, Bisogno T, Trevisani M, Al-Hayani A, De Petrocellis L, Fezza F, Tognetto M, Petros TJ, Krey JF, Chu CJ, Miller JD, Davies SN, Geppetti P, Walker JM, Di Marzo V. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(12):8400-5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12060783/

4. Leptin-regulated endocannabinoids are involved in maintaining food intake. Di Marzo V, Goparaju SK, Wang L, Liu J, Bátkai S, Járai Z, Fezza F, Miura GI, Palmiter RD, Sugiura T, Kunos G. Nature. 2001 Apr 12;410(6830):822-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11298451/

5. Di Marzo V, Fontana A, Cadas H, Schinelli S, Cimino G, Schwartz JC, Piomelli D. Formation and inactivation of endogenous cannabinoid anandamide in central neurons. Nature. 1994;372(6507):686-91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7990962/

   MAIN RESEARCH SITE, POZZUOLI (NA)

  vincenzo.di-marzo.1@ulaval.ca

   (+39) 081 8675024

ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1490-3070