About the Authors

Antonio Marchetti

Contributed equally to this work with: Antonio Marchetti, Maela Del Grammastro, Giampaolo Filice

amarchetti@unich.it (AM); fbuttitta@unich.it (FB)

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Maela Del Grammastro

Contributed equally to this work with: Antonio Marchetti, Maela Del Grammastro, Giampaolo Filice

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Giampaolo Filice

Contributed equally to this work with: Antonio Marchetti, Maela Del Grammastro, Giampaolo Filice

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Lara Felicioni

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Giulio Rossi

Affiliation Anatomic Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy

Paolo Graziano

Affiliation Anatomic Pathology Unit, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy

Giuliana Sartori

Affiliation Anatomic Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy

Alvaro Leone

Affiliation Anatomic Pathology Unit, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy

Sara Malatesta

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Michele Iacono

Affiliation Applied Science - Roche Diagnostics, Monza, Italy

Luigi Guetti

Affiliation Department of Surgery, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy

Patrizia Viola

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Felice Mucilli

Affiliation Department of Surgery, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy

Franco Cuccurullo

Affiliation Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Fiamma Buttitta

amarchetti@unich.it (AM); fbuttitta@unich.it (FB)

Affiliations Center of Predictive Molecular Medicine, Center of Excellence on Aging, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy, Oncological and Cardiovascular Molecular Medicine Unit, University-Foundation, Chieti, Italy

Competing Interests

Dr. M. Iacono is a full-time employee of Applied Science - Roche Diagnostics, Monza, Italy. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The authors declare that no other competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: AM FB. Performed the experiments: MDG GF LF GS AL SM PV. Analyzed the data: MDG GF LF GS AL AM FB. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: GR PG MI LG FM FC. Wrote the paper: AM FB MDG GF.