Professor and Chair of Molecular Pathology, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare ‘L. Califano, Università di Napoli Federico II.

Research
Research interests have focused on mechanisms of control of growth and differentiation in several lines of thyroid cells. Important relations have been identified with the pathway of cholesterol and isoprenoid synthesis. A mechanism of positive regulation of the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol synthesis 3-hydroxy-3-mthyl-glutaryl-Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase through cAMP has been discovered along with the key role of prenylated proteins in the structure of cytoskeletal elements. .

Future projects
Future aim of the laboratory is to gain a better understanding of the pathways by which isoprenoid derivatives exert control over cell growth and differentiation and possible exploitation of these compounds in cancer control.

Selected publications
Bifulco, M., Santillo, M., Tedesco, I., Zarrilli, R., Laezza, C., and Aloj, S. M.: Thyrotropin modulates low density lipoprotein binding activity in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. J. Biol. Chem. 265, 19336-19342 (1990).

Grieco, D., Beg, Z. H., Romano, A., Bifulco, M., and Aloj, S. M.: Cell cycle progression and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase are regulated by thyrotropin in FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells. J.Biol. Chem. 265, 19343-19350 (1990).

Bifulco M., Perillo, B., Saji, M., Laezza,C., Tedesco, I., Kohn, L. D. and Aloj, S. M.: Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A reductase gene expression in FRTL-5 cells: 1. Identification and characterization of a cyclic-AMP responsive element (CRE) in the rat reductase promoter. J. Biol. Chem. 270, 1523 1 15236 (1995).

Perillo,B., Tedesco, I., Laezza, C., Santillo, M., Romano, A., Aloj, S. M., and Bifulco, M.: Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutarylCoenzyme A reductase gene expression in FRTL-5 cells: 2. Down-regulation by v-K-ras oncogene. J. Biol. Chem. 270, 15237-15241 (1995).

Bifulco, M., Laezza, C., and Aloj, S. M.: Inhibition of farnesylation blocks growth but not differentiation in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. Biochimie 1999 Apr;81(4):287-90