Sebastiano Banni

Department of Biomedical Sciences

Telephone: +39 0706754128 – 0706754187

Personal webpage: here

Main areas of expertise: Lipid nutrition; Fatty acid metabolism; Nutritional control of the endocannabinoid and PPAR systems; Body composition homeostasis

♦ Fat in the diet: multiple effects, multiple roles

The main objective of our research is the role of fat in the diet, both from a qualitative and quantitative point of view, in the control of body composition through its influence on lipid and energy metabolism, taste perception, feeding behavior and cerebral circuit of gratification and reward. A particular attention is paid to the possible role of dietary fatty acids (in particular conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and n-3 fatty acids) in influencing the biosynthesis of eicosanoids and endocannabinoids and modulation of PPAR activity. These studies are carried out in different experimental models and in humans in physiological conditions and in conditions of body composition imbalance (visceral obesity, dyslipidaemia, cachexia, hormonal imbalances, genetic metabolic diseases).

Key publications:

Tepper BJ, Banni S, Melis M, Crnjar R, Tomassini Barbarossa I (2014) Genetic sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and its association with physiological mechanisms controlling Body Mass Index (BMI). Nutrients 6: 3363-3381

Pintus S, Murru E, Carta G, Cordeddu L, Batetta B, Accossu S, Pistis D, Uda S, Ghiani ME, Mele M, Secchiari P, Almerighi G, Pintus P, Banni S (2013) Sheep cheese naturally enriched in alpha-linolenic, conjugated linoleic and vaccenic acids improves the lipid profile and reduces anandamide in the plasma of hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 109: 1453-1462

Melis M, Carta G, Pistis M, Banni S (2013) Physiological role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors type alpha on dopamine systems. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets 12: 70-77

Barbarossa IT, Carta G, Murru E, Melis M, Zonza A, Vacca C, Muroni P, Di Marzo V, Banni S (2013) Taste sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil is associated with endocannabinoid plasma levels in normal-weight individuals. Nutrition 29: 531-536

Cappa M, Bizzarri C, Petroni A, Carta G, Cordeddu L, Valeriani M, Vollono C, De Pasquale L, Blasevich M, Banni S (2012) A mixture of oleic, erucic and conjugated linoleic acids modulates cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory markers and improve somatosensorial evoked potential in x-linked adrenoleukodystrophy female carriers. J Inherit Metab Dis 35: 899-907

Banni S, Carta G, Murru E, Cordeddu L, Giordano E, Marrosu F, Puligheddu M, Floris G, Asuni GP, Cappai AL, Deriu S, Follesa P (2012) Vagus nerve stimulation reduces body weight and fat mass in rats. Plos One 7: e44813

Banni S, Carta G, Murru E, Cordeddu L, Giordano E, Sirigu AR, Berge K, Vik H, Maki KC, Di Marzo V, Griinari M (2011) Krill oil significantly decreases 2-arachidonoylglycerol plasma levels in obese subjects. Nutr Metab 8: 7

Banni S, Di Marzo V (2010) Effect of dietary fat on endocannabinoids and related mediators: Consequences on energy homeostasis, inflammation and mood. Mol Nutr Food Res 54: 82-92