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Projeto de investigação
Targeting early stages of gut inflammation
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Publicações
Unveiling the role of DIPK2B in hematopoietic development and primary immunodeficiencies
Publication . Castañeda Matiz, Luisamaria; Tavares, Ana Teresa
Primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are a group of chronic diseases caused by defects in the development and/or
function of immune system components that can lead to recurrent infections, autoimmunity, aberrant
inflammation, and increased risk of hematologic malignancies. Such disorders are mainly caused by de novo or
inherited genetic mutations that affect the development of hematopoietic cells. However, many of the mutations
responsible for primary hematopoietic disorders remain to be identified. A novel candidate gene for these
disorders is DIPK2B (Divergent Protein Kinase Domain 2B; also known as DIA1R, Deleted in Autism 1 Related,
Cxorf36), a gene of unknown function that was recently shown to be mutated in patients with PID. We
hypothesize that mutations in dipk2b may cause an aberrant expansion of hematopoietic progenitors and an
imbalance in blood cell populations that can lead to hematologic defects. To address this hypothesis, we
investigated the hematopoietic defects of dipk2b morphant and mutant zebrafish. The effect of dipk2b
knockdown by morpholino injection was assessed by imaging and flow cytometry analysis of transgenic
zebrafish embryos expressing lineage-specific reporters in different hematopoietic cell populations, such as
erythromyeloid progenitors, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, endothelial cells, neutrophils and
macrophages. Moreover, we analyzed the hematopoietic cell populations in the kidney marrow, spleen, and
peripheral blood of adult dipk2b mutant fish by flow cytometry. Our observations in morphant and mutant
transgenic embryos suggest that dipk2b regulates the development of erythromyeloid progenitor cells as well
as the formation of blood vessels. In adult zebrafish, the hematopoietic cell populations in the kidney (the main
hematopoietic organ in adult fish) and spleen did not show a clear phenotype in 6 months and one-year old
dipk2b mutant fish. However, dipk2b deficiency appears to increase the percentage of lymphocytes in peripheral
blood, which may be associated with phenotypes frequently observed in PID patients, such as increased
susceptibility to infections and/or to lymphodysplasia and leukemia. Altogether, our results indicate that dipk2b
has a significant role during zebrafish hematopoietic development but not during adult hematopoiesis. This study
provides the basis for future investigation into the role of DIPK2B in the pathogenesis of hematologic and immune
disorders such as PID.
Unveiling the anti-inflammatory potential of 11β,13-dihydrolactucin for application in inflammatory bowel disease management
Publication . Matos, Melanie S.; Avila-Galvez, Maria Angeles; Gonzalez-Sarrias, Antonio; Silva, Nuno Valerio; Crespo, Carolina Lage; Jacinto, Antonio; Serra, Ana Teresa; Matias, Ana A.; Nunes dos Santos, Claudia; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB); NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM); NOVA Institute for Medical Systems Biology; RSC - Royal Society of Chemistry
Management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) poses significant challenges, and there is a need for innovative therapeutic approaches. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory properties of the dietary sesquiterpene lactone (SL) 11β,13-dihydrolactucin, which can be found in chicory, in three distinct complementary models of intestinal inflammation (two cell models and a zebrafish model), offering comprehensive insights into its potential application for IBD treatment alternatives. In a triple cell co-culture composed of Caco-2, HT29-MTX-E12, and Raji B, 11β,13-dihydrolactucin demonstrated remarkable anti-inflammatory activity at several levels of the cellular inflammatory response. Notably, 11β,13-dihydrolactucin prevented the activation of critical signalling pathways associated with inflammation, namely NF-κB and MAPK p38. This SL also decreased the release of the neutrophil-recruiting chemokine IL-8. Additionally, the compound reduced the gene expression of IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as the gene and protein expression of the inflammatory inducible enzymes iNOS and COX-2. In a myofibroblast-like human cell model, 11β,13-dihydrolactucin decreased the release of the cytokine TNF-α and the COX-2-derived inflammation mediator PGE2. Finally, in a zebrafish model of gut inflammation, 11β,13-dihydrolactucin effectively reduced neutrophil infiltration, further supporting its anti-inflammatory efficacy in a physiological context. Collectively, our findings highlight the promising anti-inflammatory potential of 11β,13-dihydrolactucin across various facets of intestinal inflammation, providing a foundation for the consideration of chicory as a promising candidate for incorporation in food or nutraceutical products for the potential prevention of IBD.
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Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
3599-PPCDT
Número da atribuição
PTDC/BTM-SAL/29377/2017