Browsing by Author "Calado, Cecilia R. C."
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- Effect of consumption of green tea extracts on the plasma molecular signaturePublication . Araujo, Ruben A. D.; Ramalhete, Luis M.; Ribeiro, Edna; Calado, Cecilia R. C.Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin present in green tea, displays diverse biological activities as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation and anti-microbial among others. In the present work, it was evaluated the effect of the consumption of EGCG along 90 days on healthy human volunteers (n=30) on plasma molecular signature acquired by mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. It was observed by principal component analysis of spectra that plasma samples presented a significantly different molecular profile after 90 days of EGCG consumption. Based on the corresponding loading vector, it was observed that EGCG consumption affected the profile of the major molecules like proteins and lipids. Were identified diverse ratios of spectral bands statistically different (p<0.01) after EGCG consumption, according to a high impact of EGCG on the general metabolism. MIR spectroscopy enabled to acquire the plasma whole molecular signature in a highly sensitive and specific mode. Since the MIR spectra are also acquired in an economical, simple, fast and high-throughput mode, the technique presents promising characteristics to acquire information in large-scale epidemiological studies towards a better understanding of the in vivo effect of EGCG.
- Spectral biomarkers of genotoxicity from methanol extracts of bloodPublication . Teixeira, Helder Paz; Ramalhete, Luís; Ladeira, Carina; Calado, Cecilia R. C.It is relevant to develop new monitoring techniques of carcinogenic risk associated with environmental exposition to genotoxic chemicals. The conventional biomonitoring techniques are based on laborious, expensive methods as the ones requiring isolation of lymphocytes from peripheral blood, in vitro cell culture, followed by e.g. cytokinesis-block assay and microscope observation of chromosomal abnormalities. The present work evaluated an infrared spectroscopy method, based on a simple, more economical and high-throughput procedure of analysis of whole blood processed with methanol. It was possible to identify ratios of spectral bands that are statistically different between hospital professionals occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs, such as 5-fluorouracil and non-hospital professionals without this exposure. It was also identified ratios of spectral bands which are statistically different between participants presenting lymphocytes with chromosomal abnormalities (as micronucleus, nuclear buds, and nucleoplasmatic bridges) and participants not presenting these abnormalities. The infrared spectroscopy-based method presents, therefore, appealing characteristics to be applied in more intensive and/or large-scale studies of monitoring genotoxic risks.