Overview

I am currently working on the synthesis and in vitro test of new hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mitochondria-targeted (and others) donor compounds and on the study of their H2S release mechanism. Hydrogen sulfide has been shown to have a potential protective role in a number of disease states including diabetes and various kidney disorders and to have a major role in the regulation of a number of vital biological functions in mammals.

Pubblications:

Wepler M., Merz T., Wachter U., Vogt J., Calzia E., Scheuerle A., Möller P., Gröger M., Kress S., Fink M., Lukaschewski B., Rumm G., Stahl B., Georgieff M., Huber-Lang M., Torregrossa R., Whiteman M., McCook O., Radermacher P., Hartmann C. The mitochondria-targeted H2S-donor AP39 in a murine model of combined hemorrhagic shock and blunt chest trauma. Shock, 2019, 52, 230-239.

Sikura K.V., Potor L., Szerafin T., Oros M., Nagy P., Méhes G., Hendrik Z., Zarjou A., Agarwal A., Posta N., Torregrossa R., Whiteman M., Fürtös I., Balla G., Balla J. Hydrogen sulfide abrogates heart valve calcification: Implications for calcific aortic valve disease. Br. J. Pharmacol., 2019, 1-17.

Zivanovic J., Kouroussis E., Kohl J.B., Adhikari B., Bursac B., Schott-Roux S., Petrovic D., Miljkovic J.L., Thomas-Lopez D., Jung Y., Miler M., Mitchell S., Milosevic V., Gomes J.E., Benhar M., Gonzales-Zorn B., Ivanovic-Burmazovic I., Torregrossa R., Mitchell J.R., Whiteman M., Schwarz G., Snyder S.H., Paul B.D., Carroll K.S., Filipovic M.R. Selective persulfide detection reveals evolutionarily conserved antiaging effects of S-sulfhydration. Cell Metab., 2019, 30, 1152-1170.

Vitvitsky V., Miljkovic J., Bostelaar T., Adikarhi B., Yadav P., Steiger A., Torregrossa R., Pluth M., Whiteman M., Banerjee R., Filipovic M. Cytochrome c Reduction by H2S potentiates sulfide signalling. ACS Chem. Biol., 2018, 13, 2300-2307.

Latorre E., Torregrossa R., Wood M.E., Whiteman M., Harries L.W. Mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide attenuates endothelial senescence by selective induction of splicing factors HNRNPD and SRSF2. Aging (Albany NY), 2018, 10, 1666-1681.

Potor L., Nagy P., Méhes G., Hendrik Z., Jeney V., Pethő D., Vasas A., Pálinkás Z., Balogh E., Gyetvai Á., Whiteman M., Torregrossa R., Wood M.E., Olvasztó S., Nagy P., Balla G., Balla J. Hydrogen sulfide abrogates hemoglobin-lipid interaction in atherosclerotic lesion. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev., 2018, doi.org/10.1155/2018/3812568.

Karwi Q.G., Bornbaum J., Boengler K., Torregrossa R., Whiteman M., Wood M.E., Schulz R., Baxter G.F., AP39, A mitochondria-targeting hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, protects against myocardial reperfusion injury independently of salvage kinase signalling. Br. J. Pharm., 2017, 4, 287-301. 

Gerö D., Torregrossa R., Perry A., Waters A., Le Trionnaire S., Whatmore J.J.,. Wood M.E, Whiteman M., The novel mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donors AP123 and AP39 protect against hyperglycemic injury in microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. Pharm. Res., 2016,113, 186-198.

Coavoy-Sánchez S.A., Rodrigues L., Teixeira S.A., Torregrossa R., Wood M.E.,  Whiteman M., Costa S.K.P., Muscará M.N., Hydrogen sulfide donors alleviate itch secondary to the activation of type-2 protease activated receptors (PAR-2) in mice. Pharm. Res., 2016, 113, 686-694.

Lobb I., Jiang J., Lian D., Liu W., Haig A., Saha M.N, Torregrossa R., Wood M.E.,  Whiteman M., Sener A., Hydrogen sulfide protects renal grafts against prolonged cold ischemia-reperfusion injury via specific mitochondrial actions. Am. J. Transplant., 2016, 17, 341-352.

Karw Q. G., Whiteman M., Wood M. E., Torregrossa R., Baxter G. F., Pharmacological postconditioning against myocardial infarction with a slow-releasing hydrogen sulfide donor, GYY4137. Pharm. Res., 2016, 111, 442–451.

Lin S., Visram F., Liu, W., Haig A., Jiang J., Mok A., Lian D., Wood M. E., Torregrossa R., Whiteman M., Lobb I., Sener A., GYY4137, a Slow-Releasing Hydrogen Sulfide Donor, Ameliorates Renal Damage Associated with Chronic Obstructive Uropathy. The J. of Urology, 2016, 196, 1778–1787.

Wedmann R., Onderka C., Wei S., Szijártó I. A., Miljkovic J. Lj.,  Mitrovic A., Lange M., Savitsky S., Yadav P. K., Torregrossa R., Harrer E. G., HarrerT., Ishii I., Gollasch M., Wood M. E., Galardon E.,  Xian M., Whiteman M., Banerjee R., Filipovic M. R., Improved tag-switch method reveals that thioredoxin acts as depersulfidase and controls the intracellular levels of protein persulfidation. Chem. Sci., 2016, 7, 3414-3426.

Barbero M., Cadamuro S., Dughera S., Torregrossa R., Chiral derivatives of 1,2 benzenedisulfonimide as efficient Brønsted acid catalysts in the Strecker reaction. Org. Biomo. Chem., 2014, 12, 3902-3911. 

Conference presentations

Oral presentations

Evaluation of novel mitochondria-targeted H2S donor compounds (RT01, RTP-10 and RTP-12) in hyperglycaemia-induced microvascular endothelial dysfunction. 5th World Congress on Hydrogen Sulfide in Biology and Medicine (31 May - 3 June 2018, Toronto, Canada).

Evaluation of a novel mitochondria-targeted peptide-based H2S donor compound (RTP-10) in hyperglycaemia-induced microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Mitochondria: Form and function (BPS Conference) (14 - 15 September 2017, London, UK).

Poster presentations

Investigating the chemical reactivity, stability and mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) generation moieties commonly used in H2S-releasing drug hybrids. Pharmacology 2019 (15 - 17 December 2019, Edinburgh UK).

Investigating the generation mechanism of hydrogen sulfide from 1,2-dithiolethione, 1,2-dithiolone and thioamide. 5th World Congress on Hydrogen Sulfide in Biology and Medicine (31 May - 3 June 2018, Toronto, Canada). Prize for Best Poster Presentation.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel mitochondria-targeted peptide based H2S donor compound (RTP-10) in hyperglycaemia-induced microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction. 67th Annual British Microcirculation Society (BMS) Meeting (3 - 4 April 2017, Birmingham, UK).

Synthesis of novel mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide donor molecules. 31st Annual Royal Society of Chemistry Postgraduate Symposium, (20 September 2016, Nottingham, UK).

Published abstracts

Torregrossa R., Wood M.E., Whiteman M. Investigating the chemical reactivity, stability and mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) generation moieties commonly used in H2S-releasing drug hybrids. Pharmacology 2019 (15 - 17 December 2019, Edinburgh UK). Br. J. Pharmacol., 2020, 177, 2615-2616, Meeting Abstract: ‏ P210.

Qualifications

• Phd Student. Medical School (Exeter University, UK)
• 2013 (Msc). Advanced Chemical Methodologies (University of Torino, Italy)
• 2011 (Bsc). Chemistry (University of Catania, Italy)

Back to top