Browsing by Author "Coelho, Pedro"
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- Adipocyte proteome and secretome influence inflammatory and hormone pathways in gliomaPublication . Almeida, Joana; Costa, J.; Coelho, Pedro; Cea, V.; Galesio, M.; Noronha, J. P.; Diniz, M. S.; Prudêncio, Cristina; Soares, R.; Sala, C.; Fernandes, RúbenGliomas represent the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults, with an extremely poor prognosis. Among several risk factors, lifestyle was also recently identified as a major risk factor for the development of primary glioma. In the present study, we explore the relationship between obesity and glioma in a cellular model. Thus, we have study the influence of adipocytes secretome on glioma cell line GL261. Using the 3T3-L1 adipocyte cell line, and its conditioned medium (adipokines-enriched medium), we showed that adipocyte-released factors relate with glioma angiogenic, growth, hormones and metabolic behavior by MALDI-TOF-MS and proteomic array analysis. In a first view, STI1, hnRNPs and PGK1 are under expressed on CGl. Similarly, both carbonic anhydrase and aldose reductase are even suppressed in glioma cells that grown under adipokines-enriched environment. Contrariwise, RFC1, KIF5C, ANXA2, N-RAP and RACK1 are overexpressed in GL261 cell the in the presence of the adipokines-enriched medium. We further identified the factors that are released by adipocyte cells, and revealed that several pro-inflammatory and angiogenic factors, such as IL-6, IL-11, LIF, PAI-1, TNF-α, endocan, HGF, VEGF IGF-I, were secreted to the medium into a high extent, whereas TIMP-1 and SerpinE1 were under expressed on CGl. This study discloses an interesting in vitro model for the study of glioma biology under a "obesity" environment, that can be explored for the understanding of cancer cells biology, for the search of biomarkers, prognostic markers and therapeutic approaches.
- Adipocyte secretome increases radioresistance of malignant melanocytes by improving cell survival and decreasing oxidative statusPublication . Coelho, Pedro; Silva, Liliana; Faria, Isabel; Vieira, Mónica; Monteiro, Armanda; Pinto, Gabriela; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, Rúben; Soares, RaquelRadiotherapy is a treatment option for the majority of malignancies. However, because melanoma is known to be radioresistant, the use of ionizing radiation as an adjuvant therapy in cutaneous melanoma patients is ineffective. Obesity has now been recognized as a risk factor for melanoma. High adiposity is generally associated with a more pro-oxidative status. Oxidative stress is a major player in radiation therapy and also a common link between obesity and cancer. Several adipocyte-released proteins are known to have a role in controlling cellular growth and pro-survival signaling. For that reason, we investigated the influence of 3T3-L1 mature adipocyte secretome in B16-F10 malignant melanocyte radiosensitivity. We evaluated B16-F10 cell survival and redox homeostasis when exposed to four daily doses of ionizing radiation (2 Gy per day) up to a total of 8 Gy in a medical linear accelerator. B16-F10 melanocytes exhibited slight alterations in survival, catalase activity, nitrative stress and total oxidant concentration after the first 2 Gy irradiation. The motility of the melanocytes was also delayed by ionizing radiation. Subsequent irradiations of the malignant melanocytes led to more prominent reductions in overall survival. Remarkably, 3T3-L1 adipocyte-secreted molecules were able to increase the viability and migration of melanocytes, as well as lessen the pro-oxidant burden induced by both the single and cumulative X-ray doses. In vitro adipocyte-released factors protected B16-F10 malignant melanocytes from both oxidative stress and loss of viability triggered by radiation, enhancing the radioresistant phenoyype of these cells with a concomitant activation of the AKT signaling pathway These results both help to elucidate how obesity influences melanoma radioresistance and support the usage of conventional medical linear accelerators as a valid model for the in vitro radiobiological study of tumor cell lines.
- Adipocyte-released factors enhance melanocyte’s proliferation and motilityPublication . Fernandes, Rúben; Coelho, Pedro; Almeida, Joana; Prudêncio, Cristina; Soares, RaquelObesity, favored by the modern lifestyle, acquired epidemic proportions nowadays. Obesity has been associated with various major causes of death and morbidity including malignant neoplasms. Cutaneous melanoma incidence rates have also been increasing uring the last four decades in several countries. Obesity involvement in melanoma etiology has been recognized, but the implicated mechanisms remain unclear. We propose to address the above relationship and investigate the mechanism interplaying between obesity and an increased risk of melanoma onset.
- Anti-Angiogenic Properties of Cafestol and Kahweol Palmitate Diterpene EstersPublication . Moeenfard, Marzieh; Cortez, Alice; Machado, Vera; Costa, Raquel; Luís, Carla; Coelho, Pedro; Soares, Raquel; Alves, Arminda; Borges, Nuno; Santos, AlejandroEpidemiological studies support the association of coffee-specific diterpenes, with various beneficial health effects. Although anti-antiangiogenic properties of free cafestol and kahweol have been recently described, available data regarding their esterified form, in particular palmitate esters as the main diterpene esters present in coffee, are still rare. Given that angiogenesis plays an important role in many pathological conditions, including cancer growth and metastasis, this study aimed to assess and compare the potential anti-angiogenic effects of cafestol palmitate (CP) and kahweol palmitate (KP) in an in vitro angiogenesis model. According to our findings, both compounds inhibited angiogenesis steps on human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs), although a more significant effect was observed for KP. Compared to control, HMVECs viability decreased in a dose-dependent manner upon incubation either with CP or KP. Concentrations of 75 and 100 μM of each compound were cytotoxic. Cell proliferation was also dramatically reduced by both diterpene esters at 50 μM, although KP had a stronger inhibitory effect. However, CP and KP did not induce apoptosis on HMVECs. Both compounds reduced cell migration, but this effect was only statistically significant after KP incubation. Inhibition of VEGFR2 expression and its downstream effector Akt, but not Erk, was also observed in CP- and KP-treated HMVECs. These findings were confirmed using ELISA assay for phosphorylated (active) VEGFR-2. Taken together, these data indicate that both CP and KP can be considered potent compounds against angiogenesis-dependent disorders. Our findings further indicate that KP exerts more potent anti-angiogenic effects than CP, in most of assays.
- Asymmetric wealth effect between US stock markets and US housing market and european stock markets: evidences from TAR and MTARPublication . Coelho, Pedro; Gomes, Luís; Ramos, PatríciaEvidence of the asymmetric wealth effect has important implications for investors and continues to merit research attention, not least because much of the evidence based on linear models has been refuted. Indeed, stock and house prices are influenced by economic activity and react nonlinearly to positive/negative shocks. This problem justifies our research. The objective of this study is to examine evidence of cointegrations between the US housing and stock markets and between the US and European stock markets, given the international relevance of these exchanges. Using data from 1989:Q1 to 2020:Q2, the Threshold Autoregression model as well as the Momentum Threshold Autoregression model were calculated by combining the US Freddie, DJIA, and SPX indices and the European STOXX and FTSE indices. The results suggest a long-term equilibrium relationship with asymmetric adjustments between the housing market and the US stock markets, as well as between the DJIA, SPX, and FTSE indices. Moreover, the wealth effect is stronger when stock prices outperform house prices above an estimated threshold. This empirical evidence is useful to portfolio managers in their search for non-perfectly related markets that allow investment diversification and control risk exposure across different assets.
- Bioactive peptides from milk proteins with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activitiesPublication . Borges, Thaís; Coelho, Pedro; Prudêncio, Cristina; Gomes, Ana; Gomes, Paula; Ferraz, Ricardo; Coelho, Pedro; Prudêncio, Cristina; Ferraz, RicardoPeptides from protein ingredients exhibit key biological activities, including antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. Aligning with the One Health approach, there is growing investment in promoting pet health and well-being. As a result, sustainable functional ingredients are increasingly essential for pet food development. In this work, peptides derived from lactoferrins of different mammalian species were synthesized and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activities were investigated. This study examined the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive activities, and cytotoxicity of bioactive peptides derived from lactoferrins of various mammalian species through spectroscopical methods. The peptides were produced via chemical synthesis (bottom-up approach). Peptides derived from bovine lactoferrin showed the most promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, whereas those derived from human lactoferrin showed the highest antihypertensive effects and the lowest cytotoxicity. In short, milk-derived peptides with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activity were identified. This motivates further studies to better characterize these peptides, including their properties and pharmacokinetics in vivo, to assess their true potential as nutraceutical agents.
- Biomolecules in the relationship of cancer and obesityPublication . Almeida, Joana; Coelho, Pedro; Prudêncio, Cristina; Vieira, Mónica; Fernandes, Rúben; Fonseca, Magda; Soares, Raquel; Silva, Liliana; Faria, Isabel; Monteiro, Armanda; Pinto, Gabriela; Cea, V.; Galesio, M.; Noronha, J. P.; Diniz, M. S.; Sala, C.Obesity has been associated with various major causes of death and morbidity including malignant neoplasms. This increased prevalence has been accompanied by a worldwide increase in cutaneous melanoma incidence rates during the last decades, as well as gliomas, the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults (Almeida et al., 2019). Although obesity aetiology is established, the implicated mechanisms remain unclear (Coelho et al., 2016). Melanoma is refractory to conventional therapies, and radiotherapy usage as an adjuvant therapy in cutaneous melanoma patients is ineffective, so it is extremely important to understand the antioxidant modulation of melanoma under an environment of obesity (Coelho et al., 2017; Oliveira et al., 2016). Moreover, the metastatic potential of some types of cancer is reduced or inhibited by obesity, which drives major concerns on the prognosis of metastasized patients (Fonseca et al., 2021). All of the studies disclose interesting models for the study of these tumors’ biology under an obese environment, that can be explored for the search of biomarkers, prognostic markers and therapeutic approaches.
- Biotechnology and biochemistry laboratorial education through the SARS-CoV2 pandemic: challenges, truths and takeawaysPublication . Almeida, Joana; Pereira, Cassilda; Coelho, Pedro; Teixeira, Dulce; Louçano, Marta; Bento, C.; Cerqueira, Maria João; Prudêncio, Cristina; Ferraz, Ricardo; Vieira, MónicaIn early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the higher education institutions to adapt to a new form of teaching and learning, from presential to full remote, blended and hybrid environment.
- Book of abstracts 4th Meeting on Medicinal Biotechnology (4EBtM)Publication . Costa, Ana Rita; Dias, Ana Rita; Prudêncio, Cristina; Borges, Cristina; Teixeira, Dulce; Almeida, Joana; Vieira, Mónica; Coelho, Pedro; Ferraz, Ricardo; Cunha, SofiaThese meetings have been held once a year since 2015 and have played an important role as a point of contact among several professionals and students in Medicinal Biotechnology. Like the Medicinal Biotechnology field itself, these meetings have also been expanding, not only in the number of participants, but also in their geographical origin. Therefore, it is our goal to act as an interface between students and biotechnology companies/researchers, as well as to increasingly promote networking, projects and collaborations within this field for the upcoming years.
- Book of Abstracts of 5th Meeting of Medicinal Biotechnology (5MBtM) and 2nd Iberian Congress on Medicinal BiotechnologyPublication . Sieiro, Carmen; Pereira, Cassilda; Prudêncio, Cristina; Oliveira, Daniela; Teixeira, Dulce; Barros, Eduarda; Almeida, Joana; Cerqueira, Maria João; Louçano, Marta; Vieira, Mónica; Coelho, Pedro; Ferraz, Ricardo