Home > Marcello Melone

Marcello Melone   Position: 1998-present: Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Physiology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, School of Medicine, Ancona, Italy. 2012-present: Researcher, Center for Neurobiology of Aging, INRCA IRCCS, Ancona, Italy.

Education:
1994: M.D. Degree (cum laude); University of Ancona, School of Medicine, Ancona, Italy
1998: Specialist in Psychiatry (cum laude); University of Ancona, School of Medicine, Ancona, Italy.


Professional experience:
1991-1994: Undergraduate student; Institute of Human Physiology
1994-1998: Resident; Institute of Human Physiology and Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ancona, School of Medicine, Ancona, Italy
2003-2004: Post-doctoral fellow; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599 (USA)


Publications:
Requie LM, Gómez-Gonzalo M, Managò M, Congiu M, Melone M, Chiavegato A, Pugliese A, Pacinelli G, Marsicano G, Papaleo F, Muntoni A, Conti F, Carmignoto G. (2021) Long-lasting synaptic regulation of dopamine neurons by astrocytes in the ventral tegmental area. Research Square. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-301561/v1, under revision.

Tropea MR, Li Puma DD, Melone M, Gulisano W, Arancio O, Grassi C, Conti F, Puzzo D (2021) A failure of β-amyloid physiological function onto α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors recapitulates Alzheimer’s disease features. bioRxiv, doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.05.425382. under revision.

Crivellaro G, Tottene A, Vitale M, Melone M, Casari C, Conti F, Santello M, Pietrobon D. (2021) Specific activation of GluN1-N2B NMDA receptors underlies facilitation of cortical spreading depression in a genetic mouse model of migraine with reduced astrocytic glutamate clearance. Neurobiology of Disease 156: 105419. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105419

La Barbera L, Vedele F, Nobili A, Krashia P, Spoleti E, Latagliata EC, Cutuli D, Marino D, Viscomi MT, Petrosini L, Puglisi-Allegra S, Melone M, Keller F, Mercuri NB, Conti F, D’Amelio M (2021) Nilotinib restores memory function by preventing dopamine neuron degeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Progress in Neurobiology in press; doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102031

Parker PD, Suryavanshi P, Melone M, Reinhart KM, Sawant-Pokam PM, Kaufmann D, Theriot JT, Pugliese A, Conti F, Shuttleworth CW, Pietrobon D, K.C. Brennan. (2021) Non-canonical glutamate signaling in a genetic model of migraine with aura. Neuron 109: 611-628. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.11.018, (Preview by K Eikermann-Haerter, Neuronal plumes initiate spreading depolarization, the electrophysiologic event driving migraine and stroke, pp 563-565).

Fattorini G, Melone M, Conti F. (2020) A Reappraisal of GAT-1 Localization in Neocortex. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00009

Fattorini G, Catalano M, Melone M, Serpe C, Bassi S, Limatola C, Conti, F. (2020) Microglial expression of GAT-1 in the cerebral cortex. Glia. 68: 3. doi: 10.1002/glia.23745

Gulisano W, Melone M, Ripoli C, Tropea MR, Li Puma DD, Giunta S, Cocco S, Marcotulli D, Origlia N, Palmeri A, Arancio O, Conti F, Grassi C, Puzzo D (2019) Neuromodulatory Action of Picomolar Extracellular Aβ42 Oligomers on Presynaptic and Postsynaptic Mechanisms Underlying Synaptic Function and Memory. Journal of Neuroscience 39(30): 5986-6000. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0163-19.2019

Melone M, Ciriachi C, Pietrobon D, Conti F (2019) Heterogeneity of astrocytic and neuronal GLT-1, as revealed by its co-localization with Na+/K+-ATPase alfa isoforms at cortical excitatory synapses. Cerebral Cortex 29(8): 3331-3350. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhy203

Mariotti L, Losi G, Lia A, Melone M, Chiavegato A, Gomez-Gonzalo M, Sessolo M, Bovetti S, Forli A, Zonta M, Requie Marcon I, Pugliese A, Viollet C, Bettler B, Fellin T, Conti F, Carmignoto G (2018) Interneuron-specific signalling evokes distinctive somatostatin-mediated responses in adult cortical astrocytes. Nature Communications 9: 82. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02642-6

Gulisano W, Melone M, Li Puma DD, Tropea MR, Palmeri A, Arancio O, Grassi C, Conti F, Puzzo D (2018) The effect of amyloid-β peptide on synaptic plasticity and memory is influenced by different isoforms, concentrations and aggregation status. Neurobiology of Aging 71: 51-60. doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.06.025.

Melone M, Ciriachi C, Pietrobon D, Conti F (2018) Heterogeneity of astrocytic and neuronal GLT-1, as revealed by its co-localization with Na+/K+-ATPase alfa isoforms at cortical excitatory synapses. Cerebral Cortex, in press. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhy203

Mariotti L, Losi G, Lia A, Melone M, Chiavegato A, Gomez-Gonzalo M, Sessolo M, Bovetti S, Forli A, Zonta M, Requie Marcon I, Pugliese A, Viollet C, Bettler B, Fellin T, Conti F, Carmignoto G (2018). Interneuron-specific signalling evokes distinctive somatostatin-mediated responses in adult cortical astrocytes. Nature Communications, 9:82. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02642-6

Fattorini G, Melone M, Sánchez-Gómez MV, Arellano RO, Bassi S, Matute C, Conti F (2017). GAT-1 mediated GABA uptake in rat oligodendrocytes. Glia 65:514-522. doi: 10.1002/glia.23108

Capuani C, Melone M, Tottene A, Bragina L, Crivellaro G, Santello M, Casari G, Conti F, Pietrobon D (2016) Defective glutamate and K⁺ clearence by cortical astrocytes in familial hemiplegic migraine type 2. EMBO Molecular Medicine 8:967-986. doi: 10.15252/emmm.201505944.

Melone M, Ciappelloni S, Conti F (2014) Plasma membrane transporters GAT-1 and GAT-3 contribute to heterogeneity of GABAergic synapses in neocortex. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy doi: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00071.

Melone M, Ciappelloni S, Conti F (2013) A quantitative analysis of cellular and synaptic localization of GAT-1 and GAT-3 in rat neocortex. Brain Structure and Function doi: 10.1007/s00429-013-0690-8.

Milanese M, Giribaldi F, Melone M, Bonifacino T, Vergani L, Musante I, Rossi PIA, Voci A, Conti F, Puliti A, Bonanno G (2013) Knocking-down metabotropic glutamate 1 receptors improves survival and disease progression in the SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiology of Disease doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.11.006.

Bragina L, Fattorini G, Giovedí S, Melone M, Bosco F, Benfenati F and Conti F (2012) Analysis of synaptotagmin, SV2, and Rab3 expression in cortical glutamatergic and GABAergic axon terminals. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 5:32.doi:10.3389/fncel.2011.00032.

Conti F, Melone M, Fattorini G, Bragina L, Ciappelloni S (2011) A role for GAT-1 in presynaptic GABA homeostasis? Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 5:2. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2011.00002

Melone M, Bellesi M, Ducati A, Iacoangeli M, Conti F (2011) Cellular and synaptic localization of EAAT2a in human cerebral cortex. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy doi: 10.3389/fnana.2010.00151

de Vivo L, Melone M, Bucci G, Rothstein JD, Conti F (2010) Quantitative analysis of EAAT4 promoter activity in neurons and astrocytes of mouse somatic sensory cortex. Neuroscience Letters doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2010.03.003

de Vivo L, Melone M, Rothstein JD, Conti F (2010) GLT-1 promoter activity in astrocytes and neurons of mouse hippocampus and somatic sensory cortex. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 3:31. doi:10.3389/neuro.05.031.2009

Omrani A, Melone M, Bellesi M, Safiulina V, Aida T, Tanaka K, Cherubini E, Conti F (2009) Up-regulation of GLT-1 severely impairs LTD at mossy fibre-CA3 synapses. Journal of Physiology 587:4575-4588

Fattorini G, Verderio C, Melone M, Giovedì S, Benfenati F, Matteoli M , Conti  F (2009) VGLUT1 and VGAT are sorted to the same populations of synaptic vesicles in subsets of cortical axon terminals. Journal of Neurochemistry 110:1538-46

Bellesi M, Melone M, Gubbini A, Battistacci S, Conti F (2009) GLT-1 up-regulation impairs prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in adult rats. Glia 57:703-713

Melone M, Bellesi M, Gubbini A, Conti F (2009) GLT-1 up-regulation enhances the effect of PCP on prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in adult rats. Schizophrenia Research 109:196-197

Fattorini G, Bragina L, Candiracci C, Melone M, Cozzi A, Pellegrini-Giampietro DE, Conti F (2009) Acute phencyclidine administration reduces extracellular glutamate levels and the expression of synaptophysin and SNAP-25 in rat frontal cortex. Schizophrenia  Research 108:288-289.

Melone M, Bellesi M, Conti F (2009) Synaptic localization of GLT-1a in the rat somatic sensory cortex. Glia 57:108-117.

Fattorini G, Melone M, Bragina L, Candiracci C, Cozzi A, Pellegrini-Giampietro DE, Torres-Ramos M, Pérez-Samartín A, Matute C, Conti F (2008) GLT-1 expression and Glu uptake in rat cerebral cortex are increased by phencyclidine. Glia 56: 1320-1327.

Bragina L, Melone M, Fattorini G, Conti F (2007) Clozapine up-regulates the expression of the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) in rat frontal cortex. Molecular Psychiatry 12: 612-613.

Bragina L, Melone M, Fattorini G, Torres-Ramos M, Vallejo-Illarramendi A, Matute C, Conti F (2006) GLT-1 down-regulation induced by clozapine in rat frontal cortex is associated with synaptophysin up-regulation. Journal of Neurochemistry 99:134-141.

Melone M, Varoqui H, Erickson JD, Conti F (2006) Localization of the amino acid transporter SNAT2 in the cerebral cortex. Neuroscience, 140: 281-292.

Conti F, Melone M (2006) The glutamine commute: lost in the tube? Neurochemistry International 48: 459-464.

Melone M, Burette A, Weinberg RJ (2005) Light microscopic identification and immunocytochemical characterization of glutamatergic synapses in brain sections. Journal of Comparative Neurology 492: 495-509.

Melone M, Barbaresi P, Fattorini G, Conti F (2005) Neuronal localization of the GABA transporter GAT-3 in human cerebral cortex: A procedural artifact? Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy 30: 45-54.

Vallejo-Illarramendi A, Torres-Ramos M, Melone M, Conti F, Matute C (2005) Clozapine reduces GLT-1 expression and glutamate uptake in astrocyte cultures. Glia 50: 276-279.

Matute C, Melone M, Vallejo-Illarramendi A, Conti F (2005) Increased expression of the astrocytic glutamate transporter GLT-1 in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenics. Glia 49: 451-455.

Conti F, Minelli A, Melone M (2004) GABA transporters in the mammalian cerebral cortex: localization, development and pathological implications. Brain Research/Brain Research Review 45: 196-212.

Melone M, Quagliano F, Barbaresi P, Varoqui H, Erickson JD, Conti F (2004) Localization of the glutamine transporter SNAT1 in rat cerebral cortex and neighboring structures, with a note on its localization in human cortex. Cerebral Cortex 14: 562-574.

Alonso-Nanclares L, Minelli A, Melone M, Edwards RH, DeFelipe J, Conti F (2004) Perisomatic glutamatergic axon terminals: a novel feature of cortical synaptology revealed by vesicular glutamate transporter 1 immunostaining. Neuroscience 123: 547-556.

Melone M, Cozzi A, Pellegrini-Giampietro DE, Conti F (2003) Transient focal ischemia triggers neuronal expression of GAT-3 in the rat perilesional cortex. Neurobiology of Disease 14: 120-132.

Melone M, Bragina L, Conti F (2003) Clozapine-induced reduction of glutamate transport in the frontal cortex is not mediated by GLAST and EAAC1. Molecular Psychiatry 8: 12-13.

Melone M, Vitellaro Zuccarello L, A Vallejo-Illarramendi, A Perez-Samartin, C Matute, A Cozzi, DE Pellegrini-Giampietro, JD Rothstein, Conti F (2001) The expression of glutamate transporter GLT-1 in the cerebral cortex is down-regulated by the antipsychotic clozapine. Molecular Psychiatry 6: 380-386.

Melone M, Brecha N, Sternini C, Evans C, and Conti F (2000) Etorphine increases the number of µ-opioid receptor-positive cells in the cerebral cortex. Neuroscience 100: 439-443.

Conti F, Vitellaro-Zuccarello L, Barbaresi P, Minelli A, Brecha NC, and M. Melone (1999) Neuronal, glial, and epithelial localization of γ-aminobutyric acid transporter-2, a high-affinity γ-aminobutyric acid plasma membrane transporter, in the cerebral cortex and neighboring structures. Journal of Comparative Neurology 409: 482-494.

Conti F, Barbaresi P, Melone M, and Ducati A (1999) Neuronal and glial localization of NR1 and NR2A/B subunits of the NMDA receptor in the human cerebral cortex. Cerebral Cortex 9: 110-120.

Conti F, Melone M, De Biasi S, Ducati A, Minelli A, and Brecha NC (1998) Neuronal and glial localization of GAT-1, a high-affinity GABA plasma membrane transporter, in the human cerebral cortex. Journal of Comparative Neurology 396: 51-63.

Conti F, De Biasi S, Minelli A, Rothstein JD, and Melone M (1998) EAAC1, a high-affinity glutamate transporter, is localized to neurons and astrocytes in the cerebral cortex. Cerebral Cortex 8: 108-116.

DeBiasi S, Minelli A, Melone M, and F Conti (1996) Presynaptic NMDA receptors in the rat cerebral cortex are both auto- and heteroreceptors. NeuroReport 7: 2773-2776.

Conti F, De Biasi S, Minelli A, and Melone M (1996) Expression of NR1 and NR2A/B subunits of the NMDA receptor in cortical astrocytes. Glia 17: 254-258.