Molecules for health: cholesterol absorption and transporter proteins expression under the effect of bioactive molecules

Financiador

Organização

Publicações

Molecules for health : cholesterol absorption and transporter proteins expression under the effect of bioactive molecules

Publication . André, Rebeca; Serralheiro, Maria Luísa Mourato de Oliveira Marques; Bourbon, Mafalda; Santos, Hugo Miguel Baptista Carreira dos

High levels of cholesterol blood and accumulation of cholesterol in tissues are one of the major risk factors to cardiovascular disease. One of the main ways to reduce cholesterol levels is by adopting a healthy diet. The search for healthy and sustainable food has resulted in an increase in the consumption of algae. Fucus vesiculosus is a brown seaweed used in food all over the world. The objective of this work is to study the effect, at the molecular level, of the alga F. vesiculosus on the synthesis, transport and absorption of cholesterol and its interaction with proteins and metabolites involved in these processes. This work started by selecting the origin of the seaweed as well as the best method of extracting the bioactive compounds. The extract of F. vesiculosus from the north of Atlantic Ocean, extracted with water at 100 °C, in a process similar to a soup, and purified by solid phase extraction was the extract obtained with the highest number of bioactive compounds identified. This alga extract has showed a high potential in inhibiting, in vitro, the synthesis as well as the intestinal permeation of cholesterol. Omics studies have showed that the F. vesiculosus extract, in liver cells, in vitro, led to the increase of different lipid compounds, especially fatty acid amides, as well as to the inhibition of four proteins involved in the synthesis of cholesterol. Also in liver cells, the inhibition of both mRNA expression and protein expression of NPC1L1 was observed. Regarding the in vitro study with intestinal cells, this alga led to an increase in the expression of the NPC1 protein. Finally, the encapsulation of this extract in sodium alginate beads was successfully studied. The different results of this work make it possible to increase knowledge about the effect of F. vesiculosus on cholesterol homeostasis, opening doors to its use as a functional food.

2023-06Tese de doutoramento

Acesso aberto

Ver mais

Hormone Changes in Tolerant and Susceptible Grapevine Leaves Under Powdery Mildew Infection

Publication . Amaro, Rute; Diniz, Inês; Santos, Helena; Pimentel, Diana; Rego, Cecilia; Mithofer, Axel; Fortes, Ana Margarida

The biotrophic fungus Erysiphe necator causes powdery mildew (PM) in grapevine. Phytohormones are major modulators of defensive responses in plants but the analysis of the hormonome associated with grapevine tolerance and susceptibility against this pathogen has not been elucidated. In this study, changes in hormonal profiling were compared between a tolerant (Vitis rupestris × riparia cv. 101-14 Millardet et de Grasset) and a susceptible (Vitis vinifera cv. Aragonêz) species upon E. necator infection. Control and PM-infected leaves were collected at 0, 6, 24, 96 h post-infection (hpi), and analysed through LC-MS/MS. The results showed a distinct constitutive hormonome between tolerant and susceptible species. Constitutive high levels of salicylic acid (SA) and indole-3- acetic acid together with additional fast induction of SA within the first 6 hpi as well as constitutive low levels of jasmonates and abscisic acid may enable a faster and more efficient response towards the PM. The balance among the different phytohormones seems to be species-specific and fundamental in providing tolerance or susceptibility. These insights may be used to develop strategies for conventional breeding and/or editing of genes involved in hormonal metabolism aiming at providing a durable resistance in grapevine against E. necator

2022Artigo científico

Acesso aberto

Ver mais

Entidade financiadora

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Número da atribuição

PD/BD/142861/2018