Carmelo Quarta
Researcher
/ Contact
www.orcid.org/0000-0002-1352-4239
The main goal of my work is to study the neuronal mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes and to define novel pharmacological treatments for these diseases.
In this context, my studies aim to decipher how the brain communicates with peripheral organs to control food intake and whole-body metabolism under both physiological and pathological conditions.
Scientific articles
-
Can brain neurons change identity? Lessons from obesity
Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2024-12-01.
10.1016/j.tem.2024.11.006 -
A plastic aggrecan barrier modulated by peripheral energy state gates metabolic signal access to arcuate neurons
Nat Commun. 2024-08-07. 15(1)
10.1038/s41467-024-50798-9 -
Molecular and functional mapping of the neuroendocrine hypothalamus: a new era begins
J Endocrinol Invest. 2024-06-15.
10.1007/s40618-024-02411-5 -
Single cell tracing of Pomc neurons reveals recruitment of ‘Ghost’ subtypes with atypical identity in a mouse model of obesity
Nat Commun. 2024-04-24. 15(1)
10.1038/s41467-024-47877-2 -
Poly-Agonist Pharmacotherapies for Metabolic Diseases: Hopes and New Challenges
Drugs. 2023-12-21.
10.1007/s40265-023-01982-6 -
Endocannabinoid-related molecules predict the metabolic efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonism in humans with obesity
J Endocrinol Invest. 2023-11-04.
10.1007/s40618-023-02228-8 -
Food intake and body weight in rodent studies: the devil is in the details
Nat Metab. 2022-10-17.
10.1038/s42255-022-00658-x -
GLP-1-mediated delivery of tesaglitazar improves obesity and glucose metabolism in male mice
Nat Metab. 2022-08-22. 4(8) : 1071-1083.
10.1038/s42255-022-00617-6 -
Yin-Yang control of energy balance by lipids in the hypothalamus: The endocannabinoids vs bile acids case
Biochimie. 2022-07-01.
10.1016/j.biochi.2022.07.006 -
Functional heterogeneity of POMC neurons relies on mTORC1 signaling
Cell Reports. 2021-10-01. 37(2) : 109800.
10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109800 -
Microglia–Neuron Crosstalk in Obesity: Melodious Interaction or Kiss of Death?
IJMS. 2021-05-15. 22(10) : 5243.
10.3390/ijms22105243 -
POMC neuronal heterogeneity in energy balance and beyond: an integrated view
Nat Metab. 2021-02-25.
10.1038/s42255-021-00345-3 -
CB1 and GLP-1 Receptors Cross-Talk Provides New Therapies for Obesity
Diabetes. 2020-10.
10.2337/db20-0162 -
Anti-obesity therapy with peripheral CB1 blockers: from promise to safe(?) practice
Int J Obes. 2020-04-21.
10.1038/s41366-020-0577-8 -
POMC Neurons Dysfunction in Diet-induced Metabolic Disease: Hallmark or Mechanism of Disease?
Neuroscience. 2019-11-01.
10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.09.031 -
Functional identity of hypothalamic melanocortin neurons depends on Tbx3
Nature Metabolism. 2019-02. 1 : 222-235.
10.1038/s42255-018-0028-1 -
Coordinated Targeting of Cold and Nicotinic Receptors Synergistically Improves Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Nature Commun. 2018-10-23. 9(1) : 4304.
10.1038/s41467-018-06769-y -
Erratum to: Coordinated targeting of cold and nicotinic receptors synergistically improves obesity and type 2 diabetes (Nature Communications, (2018), 9, 1, (4304), 10.1038/s41467-018-06769-y)
Nat Commun. 2018-11-20. 9(1)
10.1038/s41467-018-07479-1 -
Adipocyte cannabinoid receptor CB1 regulates energy homeostasis and alternatively activated macrophages.
Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2017-10-16. 127(11) : 4148-4162.
10.1172/jci83626 -
Molecular Integration of Incretin and Glucocorticoid Action Reverses Immunometabolic Dysfunction and Obesity.
Cell Metabolism. 2017-10-01. 26(4) : 620-632.e6.
10.1016/j.cmet.2017.08.023 -
Epigenetic ON/OFF Switches for Obesity
Cell. 2016-11. 164(3) : 341-2.
-
Lack of Hypophagia in CB1 Null Mice is Associated to Decreased Hypothalamic POMC and CART Expression.
Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015-02-05. 18(9)
10.1093/ijnp/pyv011 -
Astrocytic insulin signaling couples brain glucose uptake with nutrient availability.
Cell. 2016-08. 166(4) : 867-80.
10.1016/j.cell.2016.07.028 -
Unforeseen role for glucocorticoids in combinatorial anti-obesity pharmacology.
Molecular Metabolism. 2016-07-01. 5(7) : 435-436.
10.1016/j.molmet.2016.05.009 -
Renaissance of leptin for obesity therapy.
Diabetologia. 2016-05. 59(5) : 920-7.
10.1007/s00125-016-3906-7 -
Hypothalamic leptin action is mediated by histone deacetylase 5.
Nature Commun. 2016-02-29. 7 : 10782.
10.1038/ncomms10782 -
CB1 cannabinoid receptor in SF1-expressing neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamus determines metabolic responses to diet and leptin.
Molecular Metabolism. 2014-10-01. 3(7) : 705-716.
10.1016/j.molmet.2014.07.004 -
Direct activating effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on brown adipose tissue are attenuated by corticosterone.
FASEB j.. 2014-08-01. 28(11) : 4857-4867.
10.1096/fj.14-254839 -
Sulforaphane induces apoptosis in rhabdomyosarcoma and restores TRAIL-sensitivity in the aggressive alveolar subtype leading to tumor elimination in mice
Cancer Biology & Therapy. 2014-06-27. 15(9) : 1219-1225.
10.4161/cbt.29684 -
Cardiorespiratory anomalies in mice lacking CB
1 cannabinoid receptors
PLoS ONE. 2014-06-20. 9(6) : e100536.
10.1371/journal.pone.0100536 -
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism induces browning of white adipose tissue through impairment of autophagy and prevents adipocyte dysfunction in high-fat-diet-fed mice.
FASEB j.. 2014-05-07. 28(8) : 3745-3757.
10.1096/fj.13-245415 -
Multiple sleep alterations in mice lacking cannabinoid type 1 receptors.
PLoS ONE. 2014-02-20. 9(2) : e89432.
10.1371/journal.pone.0089432 -
The endocannabinoid system controls food intake via olfactory processes.
Nat Neurosci. 2014-02-09. 17(3) : 407-415.
10.1038/nn.3647 -
(11)C-meta-hydroxyephedrine PET/CT imaging allows in vivo study of adaptive thermogenesis and white-to-brown fat conversion.
Molecular Metabolism. 2013-08-01. 2(3) : 153-160.
10.1016/j.molmet.2013.04.002 -
Activation of the sympathetic nervous system mediates hypophagic and anxiety-like effects of CB₁ receptor blockade.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2013-03-04. 110(12) : 4786-4791.
10.1073/pnas.1218573110 -
Usefulness of 11C-choline positron emission tomography for genital chlamydial infection assessment in a Balb/c murine model
Mol Imaging Biol. 2013-01-30. 15(4) : 450-455.
10.1007/s11307-013-0612-4 -
Molecular imaging of neuroblastoma progression in TH-MYCN transgenic mice
Mol Imaging Biol. 2012-07-10. 15(2) : 194-202.
10.1007/s11307-012-0576-9 -
Potential role of combined FDG PET/CT & contrast enhancement MRI in a rectal carcinoma model with nodal metastases characterized by a poor FDG-avidity
European Journal of Radiology. 2012-04-01. 81(4) : 658-662.
10.1016/j.ejrad.2011.01.017 -
Role of sex hormones in modulation of brown adipose tissue activity.
Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. 2012-03-29. 49(1) : R1-R7.
10.1530/jme-12-0043 -
Energy balance regulation by endocannabinoids at central and peripheral levels.
Trends Mol Med. 2011. (9) : 518-526.
10.1016/j.molmed.2011.05.002 -
Preclinical evaluation of KIT/PDGFRA and mTOR inhibitors in gastrointestinal stromal tumors using small animal FDG PET
J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2010-12-01. 29(1)
10.1186/1756-9966-29-173 -
CB(1) signaling in forebrain and sympathetic neurons is a key determinant of endocannabinoid actions on energy balance.
Cell Metabolism. 2010-04-01. 11(4) : 273-285.
10.1016/j.cmet.2010.02.015 -
A novel model of CCl4-induced cirrhosis with ascites in the mouse.
Journal of Hepatology. 2009-12-01. 51(6) : 991-999.
10.1016/j.jhep.2009.09.008 -
Small animal PET for the evaluation of an animal model of genital infection
Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging. 2009-05-01. 29(3) : 187-192.
10.1111/j.1475-097X.2008.00854.x -
Small animal PET in oncology: The road from bench to bedside
Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2009-04-01. 24(2) : 277-285.
10.1089/cbr.2008.0554