Gianfranca Carta

Department of Biomedical Sciences

Telephone: +39 0706754032 – lab 0706754959

Personal webpage: here

Main areas of experise: Lipid metabolism; Nutrition and modulation of lipid derivatives such as endocannabinoid and congeners; Body composition homeostasis

RESEARCH MAIN TOPICS

Core competences in the field of nutrition, mainly in lipid metabolism. Characterization of fatty acids and other lipophilic bioactive molecules from animal and plant matrices. Studies on tissue metabolic changes, in experimental models and humans, induced by the dietary intake of different lipid formulations, in particular polyunsaturated fatty acids such as PUFAn-3. Modifications of the metabolism of Vitamin A induced by the dietary intake of conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids. Research on the modulation of the biosynthesis and activity of eicosanoids and endocannabinoids. Evaluation of the influence of the qualitative and quantitative composition of dietary lipids on body composition homeostasis, compartmental distribution of adipose tissue, in relation to changes in lipid and energy metabolism, in experimental models and in humans. Chemical characterization of bioactive lipid molecules, by GC, HPLC, LC-MS-MS.

Key publications:

Carta, E. Murru, L. Cordeddu, B Ortiz, E. Giordano, MA. Belury, L. Quadro, S. Banni. Metabolic interactions between vitamin A and conjugated linoleic acid. Nutrients 2014, 6(3) 1262-1272. doi:10.3390/nu6031262
Carta, E. Murru, S. Lisai, A. Sirigu, M. Collu, B. Batetta, L. Gambelli, A. Piras, S. Banni. Dietary Triacylglycerols with Palmitic Acid in the sn-2 Position Modulate Levels of NAcylethanolamides in Rat Tissues. PLOS One 2015, 1-12 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120424
Carta, M. Melis, S. Pintus, P. Pintus, C. A. Piras, L. Muredda, D. Demurtas, V. Di Marzo, S. Banni & I. Tomassini Barbarossa Participants with normal weight or with obesity show different relationships of 6-n-propylthiouracil (prop) taster status with BMI and plasma endocannabinoids. Scientific Reports 2017,7:1361 doi:10.1038/s41598-017-01562-1
Carta, E. Murru, S. Banni and C. Manca Palmitic acid: Physiological Role, Metabolism and Nutritional Implications. Review, Front. Physiol. – Lipidology 2017, 8:902 doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00902
Carta, L. Poddighe, M. P. Serra, M. Boi, T. Melis, S. Lisai, E. Murru, L. Muredda, M. Collu, S. Banni and M. Quartu Preventive effects of resveratrol on endocannabinoid system and synaptic protein modiﬁcations in rat cerebral cortex challenged by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and reperfusion. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19, 426
Murru E., Carta G.*, Cordeddu L., Melis MP., Desogus E., Ansar H., Chilliard Y., Ferlay A., Stanton C., Coakley M., Ross RP., Piredda G., Addis M., Mele MC., Cannelli G., Banni S., Manca C. Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid Enriched Cheeses Inﬂuence the Levels of Circulating n-3 Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Humans. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(6) E1730
Boero, M.G. Pisu, F. Biggio, L. Muredda, G. Carta, S. Banni, E. Paci, P. Follesa, A. Concas, P. Porcu, M. Serra Impaired glucocorticoid-mediated HPA axis negative feedback induced by juvenile social isolation in male rats. Neuropharmacology 2018, 133:242-253 doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.01.045
G Carta, E Murru, C Manca, A Serra, M Mele and S Banni. Natural CLA-Enriched Lamb Meat Fat Modiﬁes Tissue Fatty Acid Proﬁle and Increases n-3 HUFA Score in Obese Zucker Rats. Biomolecules 2019, 9, 751; doi:10.3390/biom9110751
G Carta, E Murru, R Vargiu, M Collu, M Carta, S Banni, R Stancampiano. Essential fatty acids deficient diet modulates N-Acylethanolamide profile in rat’s tissues Prostaglandins, Leukotr. Essent. Fatty Acids 2020,153 102053; doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2020.102053
E Murru*, G Carta*, C Manca, V Sogos, M Pistis, M Melis and S Banni. Conjugated linoleic acid and brain metabolism: a possible anti-neuroinflammatory role mediated by PPARα activation Front. Pharmacol. 2021, 11:587140; doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.587140