Percorrer por autor "Pinheiro, Ana"
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- Complex genetic findings in a female patient with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency: Null mutations in the PDHX gene associated with unusual expression of the testis-specific PDHA2 gene in her somatic cellsPublication . Pinheiro, Ana; Silva, Maria João; Pavlu-Pereira, Hana; Florindo, Cristina; Barroso, Madalena; Marques, Bárbara; Correia, Hildeberto; Oliveira, Anabela; Gaspar, Ana; Tavares de Almeida, Isabel; Rivera, IsabelHuman pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) catalyzes a key step in the generation of cellular energy and is composed by three catalytic elements (E1, E2, E3), one structural subunit (E3-binding protein), and specific regulatory elements, phosphatases and kinases (PDKs, PDPs). The E1α subunit exists as two isoforms encoded by different genes: PDHA1 located on Xp22.1 and expressed in somatic tissues, and the intronless PDHA2 located on chromosome 4 and only detected in human spermatocytes and spermatids. We report on a young adult female patient who has PDC deficiency associated with a compound heterozygosity in PDHX encoding the E3-binding protein. Additionally, in the patient and in all members of her immediate family, a full-length testis-specific PDHA2 mRNA and a 5′UTR-truncated PDHA1 mRNA were detected in circulating lymphocytes and cultured fibroblasts, being bothmRNAs translated into full-length PDHA2 and PDHA1 proteins, resulting in the co-existence of both PDHA isoforms in somatic cells.Moreover, we observed that DNA hypomethylation of a CpG island in the coding region of PDHA2 gene is associatedwith the somatic activation of this gene transcription in these individuals. This study represents the first natural model of the de-repression of the testis-specific PDHA2 gene in human somatic cells, and raises some questions related to the somatic activation of this gene as a potential therapeutic approach for most forms of PDC deficiency.
- Data supporting the co-expression of PDHA1 gene and of its paralogue PDHA2 in somatic cells of a familyPublication . Pinheiro, Ana; Silva, Maria João; Pavlu-Pereira, Hana; Florindo, Cristina; Barroso, Madalena; Marques, Bárbara; Correia, Hildeberto; Oliveira, Anabela; Gaspare, Ana; Tavares de Almeida, Isabel; Isabel Rivera, IsabelThis article presents a dataset proving the simultaneous presence of a 5′UTR-truncated PDHA1 mRNA and a full-length PDHA2 mRNA in the somatic cells of a PDC-deficient female patient and all members of her immediate family (parents and brother). We have designed a large set of primer pairs in order to perform detailed RT-PCR assays allowing the clear identification of both PDHA1 and PDHA2 mRNA species in somatic cells. In addition, two different experimental approaches were used to elucidate the copy number of PDHA1 gene in the patient and her mother. The interpretation and discussion of these data, along with further extensive experiments concerning the origin of this altered gene expression and its potential therapeutic consequences, can be found in “Complex genetic findings in a female patient with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency: null mutations in the PDHX gene associated with unusual expression of the testis-specific PDHA2 gene in her somatic cells” (A. Pinheiro, M.J. Silva, C. Florindo, et al., 2016).
- Probiotic-loaded microcapsule system for human in situ folate production: Encapsulation and system validationPublication . Ramos, Philippe E.; Abrunhosa, Luis; Pinheiro, Ana; Cerqueira, Miguel; Motta, Carla; Castanheira, Isabel; Chandra-Hioe, Maria V.; Arcot, Jayashree; Teixeira, José A.; Vicente, António A.This study focused on the use of a new system, an alginate|Ɛ-poly-L-lysine| alginate|chitosan microcapsule (APACM), able to immobilize a folate-producing probiotic, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris (LLC), which provides a new approach to the utilization of capsules and probiotics for in situ production of vitamins. LLC is able to produce 95.25±26 μg·L−1 of folate, during 10 h, andwas encapsulated in the APACM. APACMproved its capacity to protect LLC against the harsh conditions of a simulated digestion maintaining a viable concentration of 6 log CFU·mL−1of LLC. A nutrients exchange capacity test, was performed using Lactobacillus plantarum UM7, a high lactic acid producer was used here to avoid false negative results. The production and release of 2 g·L−1 of lactic acidwas achieved through encapsulation of L. plantarum, after 20 h. The adhesion of APACM to epithelial cells was also quantified, yielding 38% and 33% of capsules adhered to HT-29 cells and Caco-2 cells, respectively.