02/11/2016 - 02/11/2019 (Final exam 03/03/2020)
Innovative PhD with industrial characterization in“Functional and Applied Genomics and Proteomics” - Doctor Europaeus
Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
Name of PhD Supervisors: Prof. Maria Elena Dell’Aquila; Prof. Elena Ciani
2014 - 2016 (Final exam 27/07/2016)
Master’s Degree in Biological sciences (Final mark 110/110 cum laude)
Department of Biology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
2011 - 2014 (Final exam 02/10/2014)
Bachelor’s Degree in Biological sciences (Final mark 110/110 cum laude)
Department of Biology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Developmental Biology, Embryology, Biotechnology, Reproductive Medicine
In vitro exposure to polystyrene microplastics exerts oocyte toxicity through cumulus cells damage in the sheep model Letizia Temerario, Andrea Podda, Luisa Bogliolo, Antonella Mastrorocco, Maria Carmela Ferrante, et al. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2026 Introduction In recent years, the widespread environmental presence of microplastics (MPs) has raised major concerns regarding animal and human health, including potential risks to reproductive function and offspring. Methods This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs; 0, 5, 50, or 100 μg/mL) on ovine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) during in vitro maturation (IVM). Fluorescent microspheres were used for uptake assessment into COCs and cumulus cells (CCs) monolayers, whereas non-fluorescent PS-MPs were employed to evaluate potential toxic effects induced on CCs and oocytes. Results As regards CCs, increased PS-MPs uptake was highlighted at the highest exposure concentration (100 μg/mL), whereas no significant differences were observed in oocyte intracellular fluorescence intensity, compared to the control. The bioaccumulation increment in CCs monolayers was already visible after 6 h, both at 5 and 100 μg/mL, and confirmed at 24 h. The real-time PCR analysis in CCs revealed significant reductions in the expression levels of genes involved in antioxidant defense and alterations in those implicated in apoptosis. Finally, the TUNEL assay revealed a dose-dependent increase in CCs apoptotic index. Consequently, PS-MPs exposure impaired oocyte meiosis resumption by significantly reducing the maturation rates, particularly at 50 and 100 μg/mL, whereas no effects were observed at 5 μg/mL. Oocyte intracellular reactive oxygen species levels were significantly increased at all concentrations, whereas no differences in mitochondrial membrane potential were detected. The percentages of oocytes with abnormal configurations of meiotic spindle and cortical F-actin were found to be significantly increased, regardless of concentration. Finally, the cleavage rate was significantly reduced in oocytes exposed to 50 μg/mL, whereas no differences were found in the blastocyst rate at both 50 and 5 μg/mL. Discussion In conclusion, in vitro exposure of sheep COCs to PS-MPs during IVM reduced oocyte quality and developmental potential through alterations induced in the CCs, which turned out to be the main target of these environmental contaminants.
Taxonomic Profile of Cultivable Microbiota from Adult Sheep Follicular Fluid and Its Effects on In Vitro Development of Prepubertal Lamb Oocytes Slavcho Mrenoshki, Letizia Temerario, Antonella Mastrorocco, Grazia Visci, Elisabetta Notario, et al. Animals, 2025 The aims of the present study were to analyze the taxonomic profile and to evaluate the functional effects of sheep FF cultivable microbiota on prepubertal lamb oocytes PLOs developmental potential. Ovarian FFs were recovered from slaughtered adult sheep via the aspiration of developing follicles and used for microbiota propagation. Bacterial pellets underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and targeted culturomics, whereas cell-free supernatants were used as supplements for the in vitro maturation (IVM) of slaughtered PLOs. For the first time, bacteria presence in adult sheep FF was detected, with the first report of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius (as a species) and Burkholderia cepacia (as a genus and species) in either animal or human FF. The short- and long-term effects of bacterial metabolites on PLO maturation and embryonic development were demonstrated. As short-term effects, the addition of FF microbiota metabolites did not affect the oocyte nuclear maturation and mitochondria distribution pattern, except in one of the examined supernatants, which reduced all quantitative bioenergetic/oxidative parameters. As long-term effects, one of them reduced the total cleavage rate after in vitro embryo culture (IVC). In conclusion, microbiota/bacteria are present in adult sheep FF and may influence reproductive outcomes in vitro. Future studies may reveal the beneficial in vitro effects using the microbiome from preovulatory follicles.
In Vitro Toxicity of a DEHP and Cadmium Mixture on Sheep Cumulus–Oocyte Complexes Antonella Mastrorocco, Letizia Temerario, Valeria Vurchio, Susanna Cotecchia, Nicola Antonio Martino, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025 Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and Cadmium (Cd) affect female reproduction. To date, toxicological research has focused on the effects of individual contaminants, whereas living beings are exposed to mixtures. This study analyzed the effects of a DEHP/Cd mixture on nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of sheep cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) compared with single compounds. COCs recovered from slaughterhouses-derived sheep ovaries were in vitro exposed to 0.5 μM DEHP, 0.1 μM Cd, or DEHP/Cd mixture at the same concentrations during 24 h of in vitro maturation (IVM). After IVM, oocyte nuclear chromatin configuration was evaluated, and bioenergetic/oxidative parameters were assessed on expanded cumulus cells (CCs) and matured oocytes (chi-square test and one-way ANOVA; p < 0.05). Under examined conditions, oocyte nuclear maturation was never impaired. However, COC bioenergetics was affected with stronger effects for the mixture than single compounds. Indeed, the percentages of matured oocytes with healthy mitochondrial distribution patterns were reduced (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 for mixture and single compounds, respectively). Oocyte mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular ROS levels, and mitochondria/ROS co-localization were reduced, with the same significance level, in all contaminated conditions. CCs displayed increased ROS levels only upon mixture exposure (p < 0.001). In conclusion, in vitro exposure to the DEHP/Cd mixture affected COC quality in the sheep to a greater extent than separate compounds.
Can the endometrioma be an obstacle to complete oocyte retrieval in IVF cycles? A retrospective study G. M. Baldini, A. S. Laganà, A. Mastrorocco, A. Malvasi, D. Baldini, et al. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2024 OBJECTIVE The study aimed to evaluate the utility and safety of ancillary maneuvers during oocyte retrieval for patients with endometrioma that makes ovum pick-up hard due to poor ovarian surgical accessibility. PATIENTS AND METHODS Cases of 251 women with ovarian endometriomas undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) in our infertility unit were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the clinical IVF cycle outcomes after oocyte retrieval. Controls (n = 251) were age-matched women without endometriomas who underwent an uncomplicated oocyte retrieval. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were observed between groups except for the number of oocytes retrieved, which was higher in the control group than in the group of women with endometrioma. On the contrary, there were no differences between the experimental groups in the fertilization rate and number of embryos, and neither were there in the pregnancy and live birth rate. Moreover, the surgical complications were infrequent and similar between the two analyzed groups. Accidental or voluntary endometrioma punctures were not accompanied by increases in the risk of a pelvic infection. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, patients with endometrioma can undergo high-performance oocyte recovery procedures thanks to safe accessory maneuvers during the ovum pick-up.
Inadvertent Administration of 72 µg of Follitropin-Δ for Three Consecutive Days Does Not Appear to Be Dangerous for Poor Responders: A Case Series Giorgio Maria Baldini, Antonella Mastrorocco, Romualdo Sciorio, Simone Palini, Miriam Dellino, et al. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023 Follitropin delta (Δ) is a recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH), like natural human FSH, that can stimulate the development and growth of multiple follicles. Treatment with Follitropin-Δ may cause mild to severe adverse reactions, such as the risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, resulting in nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, weight loss, respiratory difficulty, stomach swelling and discomfort of the pelvic area, headaches, and fatigue. To date, the effects of a Follitropin-Δ overdosage are unknown, and no data are reported in the scientific literature or in the drug data sheet. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the effects of Follitropin-Δ overdosages in poorly responding women who underwent IVF cycles. This is a descriptive case series of four nulligravid, poorly responding patients, two of whom made requests for fertility preservation. Four poorly responding patients who were prescribed 20.0 µg/day of Follitropin-Δ for three consecutive days wrongly injected the total cartridge of 72 µg Follitropin-Δ every day. After the incorrect injection of Follitropin-Δ, the patients continued their controlled ovarian stimulation and underwent vaginal ovarian pick up. The analyzed patients had no side effects or adverse reactions. The evaluations reported in this case series showed that the accidental use of 72 µg/day of Follitropin-Δ for three days did not cause side effects or adverse reactions in poor responders.
New Strategies for Conservation of Gentile di Puglia Sheep Breed, an Autochthonous Capital of Millennial Tradition in Southern Italy Letizia Temerario, Davide Monaco, Antonella Mastrorocco, Nicola Antonio Martino, Sándor Cseh, et al. Animals, 2023 Gentile di Puglia (GdP) is an autochthonous sheep breed of Southern Italy included among ovine breeds threatened by genetic erosion and extinction risk, which have been given attention by local and international institutions, thus emphasizing the need for germplasm conservation actions. In the present study, two assisted reproduction approaches, finalized for GdP conservation, were performed: (1) on-farm reproductive efficiency evaluation, expressed as pregnancy rate (PR), twin pregnancy rate (tPR), and body condition score (BCS), for three consecutive breeding cycles and (2) pre-pubertal lambs’ immature cumulus–oocyte complex (COC) retrieval, vitrification, in vitro maturation (IVM), and assessment of meiotic stage and bioenergetic-oxidative status compared with those of other Italian and European commercial breeds. PR and tPR were progressively reduced over time. In all clinical examination times, BCS was significantly lower in nonpregnant ewes compared with pregnant ones. Fresh GdP pre-pubertal lamb COCs achieved meiotic maturation and showed healthy bioenergetic–oxidative status after IVM. Vitrification reduced the oocyte maturation rate in all groups. However, mature oocytes retained their cytoplasmic maturity, expressed as a mitochondria distribution pattern and activity, indicating promising developmental competence. In conclusion, clinical- and biotechnological-assisted reproduction approaches can support conservation strategies of GdP and other local sheep breeds in Southern Italy.
Cumulus Cell Transcriptome after Cumulus-Oocyte Complex Exposure to Nanomolar Cadmium in an In Vitro Animal Model of Prepubertal and Adult Age Nicola Antonio Martino, Ernesto Picardi, Elena Ciani, Anna Maria D’Erchia, Luisa Bogliolo, et al. Biology, 2023 Cadmium (Cd), a highly toxic pollutant, impairs oocyte fertilization, through oxidative damage on cumulus cells (CCs). This study analysed the transcriptomic profile of CCs of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from adult and prepubertal sheep, exposed to Cd nanomolar concentration during in vitro maturation. In both age-groups, CCs of matured oocytes underwent RNA-seq, data analysis and validation. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in adult (n = 99 DEGs) and prepubertal (n = 18 DEGs) CCs upon Cd exposure. Transcriptomes of adult CCs clustered separately between Cd-exposed and control samples, whereas prepubertal ones did not as observed by Principal Component Analysis. The transcriptomic signature of Cd-induced CC toxicity was identified by gene annotation and literature search. Genes associated with previous studies on ovarian functions and/or Cd effects were confirmed and new genes were identified, thus implementing the knowledge on their involvement in such processes. Enrichment and validation analysis showed that, in adult CCs, Cd acted as endocrine disruptor on DEGs involved in hormone biosynthesis, cumulus expansion, regulation of cell signalling, growth and differentiation and oocyte maturation, whereas in prepubertal CCs, Cd affected DEGs involved in CC development and viability and CC-oocyte communications. In conclusion, these DEGs could be used as valuable non-invasive biomarkers for oocyte competence.
