60 documents found, page 1 of 6
Inflammatory and senescence-related effects of polyethylene microspheres on der...
Morgado, Carolina; Silva, Ana; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Pereira, Cláudia F.; Resende, RosaBackground: Microplastics (MPs) have been raising environmental and human health concerns [1]. Polyethylene (PE) is a synthetic organic polymer and is one of the main constituents of plastics [2]. PE MPs are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products due to their cost-effectiveness, versatility and durability [3]. However, their effect on skin cells remains unclear. Exposure of the dermis to these part...
Cellulose-based colorimetric test strips for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection
Sousa, Mariana; Pereira, Ana Cláudia; Correia, Bárbara; Carmo, Anália do; Matos, Ana Miguel; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Moreira, FelisminaThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid, cost-effective tools to monitor transmission and immune response. We developed two novel paper-based colorimetric biosensors using glutaraldehyde as a protein dyeits first use in this context. Glutaraldehyde reacts with amino groups to generate a brown color, enabling detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Wathman filter paper was functionalized with (3-aminopr...
Cellulose test strips modified with virus-like particles: Advancing viral immun...
Pereira, Ana Cláudia Santos; Sousa, Cristina; Mateus, Daniela; Sebastião, Ana Isabel; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Mato, Ana Miguel; Moreira, FelisminaThe COVID-19 pandemic has driven immunity acquisition through infection or vaccination, leading to SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. This study introduces a colorimetric biosensor for COVID-19 immunity screening using Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein motifs on a cellulose carrier. The cellulose was chemically modified with DSS to secure the VLPs, verified via FTIR. Detection utilized the Bradford ...
Anti-LAG-3: A change in the paradigm of advanced melanoma treatment
Cruz, Maria Teresa; Tomás, SamuelMelanoma is the deadliest skin cancer globally. It arises from the malignant transformation of melanocytes through multiple complex pathways. While cutaneous melanoma, originating from the epidermis, is the most common form, other rarer subtypes also exist. The complex physiopathology of melanoma, characterized by a high mutational load and metastatic potential, when correlated with the hallmarks of cancer, cle...
Lipidome of extracellular vesicles from Giardia lamblia
Faria, Clarissa Perez; Ferreira, Bárbara; Lourenço, Ágata; Guerra, Inês Calado; Melo, Tânia; Domingues, Pedro; Domingues, Maria do Rosário MarquesExtracellular vesicles (EVs) (exossomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies) have been well acknowledged as mediators of intercellular communications in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Lipids are essential molecular components of EVs but at the moment the knowledge about the lipid composition and the function of lipids in EVs is limited and as for now none lipidomic studies in Giardia EVs was described. Therefore, ...
Development of an in chemico high-throughput screening method for the identific...
Ferreira, Isabel; Brites, Gonçalo; Silva, Ana; Caramelo, Francisco; Oliveiros, Bárbara; Neves, Bruno Miguel; Cruz, Maria TeresaIt is well established that chemical-peptide conjugation represents the molecular initiating event (MIE) in skin sensitization. This MIE has been successfully exploited in the development of in chemico peptide reactivity assays, with the Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay (DPRA) being validated as a screening tool for skin sensitization hazard as well as an OECD test guideline. This test relies on the use of a hig...
Comparative Studies on the Photoreactivity, Efficacy, and Safety of Depigmentin...
Mota, Sandra; Rosa, Gonçalo P.; Barreto, Maria Carmo; Garrido, Jorge; Sousa, Emília; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Almeida, Isabel F.; Quintas, ClaraDepigmenting products are increasingly used to counteract skin hyperpigmentation and related psychosocial issues. This study aimed to compare different depigmenting agents—4-butylresorcinol; bakuchiol; tranexamic acid; ascorbyl glucoside; α-arbutin; and ascorbic acid—for photoreactivity; tyrosinase inhibition; and safety. Photoreactivity was assessed using the Reactive Oxygen Species assay. In vitro tyrosinase ...
Anti-Amyloid-β Monoclonal Antibodies: Recent Therapeutic Strategies for Alzheim...
Cruz, Maria Teresa; Oliveira, CatarinaAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease, and is considered to be the main cause of dementia. It is currently one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, counting with millions of people suffering from dementia. Its exact etiology is not yet known; however, among the various hypotheses trying to explain the pathophysiology of AD, the one that has been more prom...
Mitochondria Fusion upon SERCA Inhibition Prevents Activation of the NLRP3 Infl...
Pereira, Ana Catarina; Madeira, Nuno; Morais, Sofia; Macedo, António; Cruz, Maria Teresa; Pereira, Cláudia M. F.Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) is a crucial component of the cellular machinery responsible for Ca2+ homeostasis. The selective inhibition of SERCA by thapsigargin (TG) leads to perturbations in Ca2+ signaling, which can trigger endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway is activated in response to ER stress and induces an adaptive response to preserve cell s...
Exploring the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic potential of Braz...
Conte, Fernanda Lopes; Pereira, Ana Catarina; Brites, Gonçalo; Ferreira, Isabel; Silva, Ana Cristina; Sebastião, Ana Isabel; Matos, PatríciaPropolis is a bee product used since ancient times due to its diverse biological applications. We aimed to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of Brazilian propolis in THP-1 cells stimulated with 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene (DNFB) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: Cell viability was assessed by resazurin assay, antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH assay, superoxide dismutase (SOD)...