15 documents found, page 1 of 2
CuMV VLPs Containing the RBM from SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Drive Dendritic Cell...
Sebastião, Ana Isabel; Mateus, Daniela; Carrascal, Mylène A.; Sousa, Cátia; Cortes, Luísa; Bachmann, Martin F; do Carmo, Anália; Matos, Ana M.Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most specialized and proficient antigen-presenting cells. They bridge innate and adaptive immunity and display a powerful capacity to prime antigen-specific T cells. The interaction of DCs with the receptor-binding domain of the spike (S) protein from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a pivotal step to induce effective immunity against the S protei...
Ghrelin delays premature aging in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome
Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; Carvalho, André; Franco, Ana Catarina; Leal, Ana; Botelho, Mariana; Carmo-Silva, Sara; Águas, Rodolfo; Cortes, LuísaHutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare and fatal genetic condition that arises from a single nucleotide alteration in the LMNA gene, leading to the production of a defective lamin A protein known as progerin. The accumulation of progerin accelerates the onset of a dramatic premature aging phenotype in children with HGPS, characterized by low body weight, lipodystrophy, metabolic dysfunction, skin...
A new protocol for whole-brain biodistribution analysis of AAVs by tissue clear...
Lopes, Miguel M.; Paysan, Jacques; Rino, José; Lopes, Sara M.; Pereira de Almeida, Luís; Cortes, Luísa; Nobre, Rui JorgeRecombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) has become one of the most promising gene delivery systems for both in vitro and in vivo applications. However, a key challenge is the lack of suitable imaging technologies to evaluate delivery, biodistribution and tropism of rAAVs and efficiently monitor disease amelioration promoted by AAV-based therapies at a whole-organ level with single-cell resolution. Therefore, ...
Ligand-independent activity of the ghrelin receptor modulates AMPA receptor tra...
Ribeiro, Luís F.; Catarino, Tatiana; Carvalho, Mário; Cortes, Luísa; Santos, Sandra D.; Opazo, Patricio O.; Ribeiro, Lyn Rosenbrier; Oliveiros, BárbaraThe biological signals of hunger, satiety, and memory are interconnected. The role of the hormone ghrelin in regulating feeding and memory makes ghrelin receptors attractive targets for associated disorders. We investigated the effects of the high ligand-independent activity of the ghrelin receptor GHS-R1a on the physiology of excitatory synapses in the hippocampus. Blocking this activity produced a decrease in...
Calcium Signaling in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases 2019
Cortes, Luísa; Malva, João; Rego, Ana Cristina; Pereira, Cláudia F.The European Calcium Society (ECS) workshop, which is held every 2 years, is a dedicated meeting of scientists interested in the elucidation of the action of calcium binding, calcium signaling and the study of proteins and organelles, such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, thereby involved, either in health and disease conditions. The 8th edition of the ECS workshop was organized by a group of research...
Pollen Proteases Play Multiple Roles in Allergic Disorders
Gaspar, Ricardo; Matos, Mafalda Ramos de; Cortes, Luísa; Nunes-Correia, Isabel; Todo-Bom, Ana; Pires, Euclides; Veríssimo, PaulaAllergic diseases are a major health concern worldwide. Pollens are important triggers for allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma. Proteases released upon pollen grain hydration appear to play a major role in the typical immunological and inflammatory responses that occur in patients with allergic disorders. In this study, we aimed to identify specific proteolytic activity in a set of pollens with diverse...
Blunted dynamics of adenosine A2A receptors is associated with increased suscep...
Rodrigues, Lisa; Miranda, Isabel M.; Andrade, Geanne M.; Mota, Marta; Cortes, Luísa; Rodrigues, Acácio G.; Cunha, Rodrigo A.; Gonçalves, TeresaOpportunistic gut infections and chronic inflammation, in particular due to overgrowth of Candida albicans present in the gut microbiota, are increasingly reported in the elder population. In aged, adult and young mice, we now compared the relative intestinal over-colonization by ingested C. albicans and their translocation to other organs, focusing on the role of adenosine A2A receptors that are a main stop si...
Valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97) is an activator of wild-type ataxin-3
Laço, Mário N.; Cortes, Luísa; Travis, Sue M.; Paulson, Henry L.; Rego, A. CristinaAlterations in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) have been reported in several neurodegenerative disorders characterized by protein misfolding and aggregation, including the polylgutamine diseases. Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) or Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 3 is caused by a polyglutamine-encoding CAG expansion in the ATXN3 gene, which encodes a 42 kDa deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB), ataxin-3. We investigated...
Neuropeptide Y inhibits interleukin-1β-induced phagocytosis by microglial cells
Ferreira, Raquel; Santos, Tiago; Viegas, Michelle; Cortes, Luísa; Bernardino, Liliana; Vieira, Otília V.; Malva, João O.Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is emerging as a modulator of communication between the brain and the immune system. However, in spite of increasing evidence that supports a role for NPY in the modulation of microglial cell responses to inflammatory conditions, there is no consistent information regarding the action of NPY on microglial phagocytic activity, a vital component of the inflammatory response in bra...
Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling Activity of Ataxin-3
Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Cortes, Luísa; Maciel, Patrícia; Carvalho, Ana LuísaSpinocerebellar ataxia type-3, also known as Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD), is one of many inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by polyglutamine-encoding CAG repeat expansions in otherwise unrelated genes. Disease protein misfolding and aggregation, often within the nucleus of affected neurons, characterize polyglutamine disorders. Several evidences have implicated the nucleus as the primary site of path...