Andreia Matos

University of Lisbon | UL · Laboratório de Genética e Instituto de Saúde Ambiental

There is a clear association between the excessive and cumulative exposure to estrogens and the development of cancer in hormone- sensitive tissues, such as the cervix. We studied the association of CYP1A1 M1 (rs4646903) and COMT (rs4680) polymorphisms in 130 cervical cancer cases (c-cancer) and 179 controls. e CYP1A1 TT genotype was associated wit...

Preeclampsia (PE) may affect the risk for future cardiovascular disease. Haptoglobin (Hp), an acute phase protein with functional genetic polymorphism, synthesized in the hepatocyte and in many peripheral tissues secondary of oxidative stress of PE, may modulate that risk through the antioxidant, angiogenic, and anti-inflammatory differential effec...

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) that begins in childhood and is the first step of the so-called 'atopic march'. The chromosome 1q21 region has been associated with AD and psoriasis, with a peak in Epidermal Differentiation Complex (EDC) in a region of 2.05 Mb. The aim of this work was to study LELP-1 (late cornified envelope-like proline-rich 1)...

Fatty acids are now increasingly appreciated as crucial contributors to cancer biology, extending its role beyond its classical view as an energy source. In this review, current evidences are examined focusing on the multifaceted roles of lipids mediating the effects of excess adiposity and adipocytes in cancer, linking molecular mechanisms to canc...

Objective: Preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy complication triggered by oxidative stress and hypoxia, compromises mother and baby health and changes mother's blood vessels increasing the risk for hypertension(HT). Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is a water/H2O2/glycerol channel with implications in redox signaling. Heparanase (HPSE) has a role in extracellular mat...

Objective: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease(ADPKD) is a monogenic disease characterized by the growth of cysts in the kidneys, which can progress to end-stage renal disease(ESRD). However, this progression is heterogeneous.Aquaporin-3(AQP3) and Aquaporin-7(AQP7) are water channels involved in the inflammatory response and proliferation...

Objective: Apparently healthy young adults may have risk factors associated with arterial hypertension (HBP) and atherosclerosis. The objective was to evaluate the presence of HBP, obesity and other anthropometric or metabolic cardiovascular (CV) risk parameters in young adults and their association to inflammation connected blood count parameters...

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): FCT, Portugal Systemic inflammatory parameters derived from complete blood count (CBC) might present a good potential and a cheap method in assessment the risk for the development of cardiovascular related diseases. The aim of this research is to retrospectively e...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a hereditary disease characterized by the formation and growth of renal cysts, affecting the decrease of renal function, which may lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Due to the enormous intrafamilial phenotypic variability of ADPKD and since serum creatinine and glomer...

Introdução: Os adultos jovens presumivelmente saudáveis podem, contudo, apresentar importantes fatores de risco, potencialmente refletidos numa maior incidência de morbilidade futura e numa diminuição da sua qualidade de vida. A obesidade, em particular, tem sido associada a uma maior incidência de hipertensão arterial, observada de modo transversa...

Introdução: Os adultos jovens presumivelmente saudáveis podem, contudo, apresentar importantes fatores de risco, potencialmente refletidos numa maior incidência de morbilidade futura e numa diminuição da sua qualidade de vida. A obesidade, em particular, tem sido associada a uma maior incidência de hipertensão arterial, observada de modo transversa...

Arginine availability and activation of arginine-related pathways at cancer sites have profound effects on the tumor microenvironment, far beyond their well-known role in the hepatic urea cycle. Arginine metabolism impacts not only malignant cells but also the surrounding immune cells behavior, modulating growth, survival, and immunosurveillance me...

Abstract Aims Heart failure (HF) short-term prognosis persists poor. We studied the rate of short-term readmission due to HF, short-term all-cause mortality and end of follow-up all-cause mortality. Material and Methods We assessed patients admitted with acute HF in class III or IV of NYHA. Univariate Cox proportional hazard model was performed....

Preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy disorder influenced by oxidative stress and hypoxia, affects the health of the mother and baby and is associated with an increased risk of future hypertension (HT). Aquaporins are a family of water channels, comprising members that also transport glycerol (aquaglyceroporins) and hydrogen peroxide (peroxiporins), key m...

ncreased visceral adiposity may influence the development of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressive tumors and cancer mortality. White adipose tissue (WAT), usually referred to as periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT), surrounds the prostatic gland and has emerged as a potential mediator of the tumor microenvironment. Exercise training (ET) induces several...

Hypertension is a multifactorial condition of genetic and environmental nature. In Portugal the mean prevalence of hypertension in the population is 45.5%. The aim of this study is to evaluate the contribution of anthropometric, physiological and genetic factors (eNOS and ACE) to the development of hypertension in a Portuguese population. A case-co...

The two antagonistic systems of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-1 and ACE-2 are in the “eye of the hurricane” of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The receptor of the SARS-CoV-2 is the same as ACE-2, which causes its under-expression after binding it, followed by the internalization of the complex virus-ACE-2. ACE-2 ha...

Background: Exercise is a well-accepted strategy to improve lipid and inflammatory profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the exercise intensity having the most benefits on lipids and inflammatory markers in patients with T2DM remains unclear. We aimed to analyse the impact of a 1-year combined high-intensity interval trainin...

Background. Cardiovascular risk (CVR) underlies aging process and longevity. Previous work points to genetic and environmental factors associated with this risk. Objectives. The aim of this research is to look for any CVR gene-gene and gene-multifactorial/lifestyle interactions that may impact health and disease and underlie exceptional longevity....

Background: Exercise is a well-accepted strategy to improve lipid and inflammatory profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the exercise intensity having the most benefits on lipids and inflammatory markers in patients with T2DM remains unclear. We aimed to analyse the impact of a 1-year combined high-intensity interval training...

Background: Exercise is a well-accepted strategy to improve lipid and inflammatory profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the exercise intensity having the most benefits on lipids and inflammatory markers in patients with T2DM remains unclear. We aimed to analyse the impact of a 1-year combined high-intensity interval training...

Objective: Preeclampsia (PE) is a major public health issue, increasing the risk for future cardiovascular disease. The polymorphisms NOS3-intron16, MPOrs2333227, p22phox-rs4673, and CAT-rs1001179 are involved in the production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and dismutation of hydrogen peroxide. The aim is to study the associatio...

Hypertension (HT), a common age-related disorder, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study aims to identify the prevalence of HT in Portuguese centenarians and evaluate whether gene polymorphisms encoding key molecules in blood pressure (BP) regulation are associated with longevity. There were recruited 253 centenarians (1...

Introduction Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic disorder which complex pathophysiology involves both oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction as key factors. The CD163-mediated haptoglobin (HP) hemoglobin-scavenging system has been proposed as an important pathway for diverse disease states due to its anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effe...

Introduction The immunological alterations during pregnancy may contribute to the onset of preeclampsia (PE) and will affect the future cardiovascular risk (FC-risk) in women with previous PE. Objectives/Hypothesis Although not clear, beyond being involved in the metabolism of estrogens, CYP1A1 and COMT polymorphisms may have a significant impact...

Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been associated with excessive production of reactive oxygen species [1]. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphisms result in decreased or absent enzyme activity and altered oxidative stress. Meta-analyses have indicated that deletion of either GSTM1 or GSTT1 is associated with a significant increased risk of corona...

Introduction: The interaction between bone and energy metabolism may be enhanced in high demanding physical activities. We hypothesize that genetic background may modulate the exercise-associated bone and energy responses of athletes participating in a mountain cycling ultramarathon. Methods: Fifty-five non-professional athletes (mean age 44.8±7.1...

There are several mechanisms by which the organism functionally regulates the cell behaviour against oxidative stress, being erythrocyte acid phosphatase activity (ACP1) and plasma epinephrine oxidase activity (EO) important key-players. In 221 young adults (mean age: 22.12±2.9 years old) we evaluated those activities, determined by spectrophotomet...

Background Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) has been recognized to associate with prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness and progression. Here, we sought to investigate whether excess adiposity modulates the methylome of PPAT in PCa patients. DNA methylation profiling was performed in PPAT from obese/overweight (OB/OW, BMI > 25 kg m⁻²) and normal...

Background and Aims Eating habits may contribute to longevity. We characterized the eating habits and cardiovascular risk (CVR) biomarkers in Portuguese centenarians (CENT) compared to controls. Methods and Results Centenarians (n = 253), 100.26 ± 1.98 years, were compared with 268 controls (67.51 ± 3.25), low (LCR) and high (HCR) CVR (QRISK®2-201...

Purpose: To analyze the cumulative physiological burden of repetitive, strenuous exercise held during mountain cycling ultramarathon on regulatory mechanisms of hemoglobin degradation. Methods: Fifty-five non-professional athletes (mean age 44.8±7.1 years old) participating in a 9-consecutive-day mountain cycling ultramarathon (TransPortugal), u...

Introduction Eating habits may contribute to longevity. Consumption of red meat, source of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol may be associated with increased risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality risk. Methods We studied 521 subjects, both genders, 253 centenarians (CENT) (100.26G1.98 age) and 268 controls (67.51G3.25 a...

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an inherited blood disorder. SCA patients present clinical and hematologic variability that cannot be only explained by the single mutation in the beta-globin gene. Others genetic modifiers and environmental effects are important for the clinical phenotype. SCA patients present arginine deficiency that contr...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis in centenarians and its association with body composition and past physical activity (PPA). SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study in a representative nationwide population of 253 Portuguese centenarians. A clinically oriented questionnai...

Background/objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis in centenarians and its association with body composition and past physical activity (PPA). Subjects/methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study in a representative nationwide population of 253 Portuguese centenarians. A clinically oriented question...

Objective: To assess, in a sample of Portuguese Centenarians compared with a control sample of lower age individuals, the blood pressure levels, the distribution of genotypes associated with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and its association with hypertension. Design and method: The study comprised 253 centenarians, with a mean age of 10...

Objective: To assess blood pressure (BP) levels and the prevalence of hypertension (HBP) and its control in individuals centenarians in Portugal. Design and method: The study comprised a Caucasian population of 253 centenarians (77.9% women), with a mean age of 100.3 ± 2.0 years old, from different regions of Portugal. It were hypertension crite...

A solid body of knowledge indicates that overweight and obese subjects are prone to develop cancer, aggressive disease, and death more than their lean counterparts. While obesity has been causally associated with various cancers, only a limited number of studies beheld the link with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Contemporary meta-analysis and pr...

Introduction Several studies in preeclampsia have shown evidence for the existence of pro-oxidative state, whose starting point at placental level, would arise from maternal and fetal immunogenetic predisposition factors, accompanied of microangiopathic hemolysis. Transmembrane reductase (TMR) is an NAD(P)H dependent enzyme present in endothelial c...

Introduction Preeclampsia (PE) may affect the risk for future cardiovascular disease. Oxidative stress and genetic polymorphisms associated to this pathway may modulate that risk through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory differential effects of their genotypes. Objectives To study the association between oxidative stress-related gene polymorph...

Introduction In pregnancy oxidative stress is increased, being the mechanisms associated to the regulation of redox system disrupted in preeclampsia. This pro-oxidative state in preeclampsia, starting at placental level, may be reflected in fetuses. Methemoglobin reductase (MHbR) is an erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme modulated by nitrites, blood pre...

INTRODUCTION The MTHFR is a key enzyme in the folate cycle involved in homocysteine remethylation. The T allele of MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with lower activity inhibiting the DNA methylation and protecting from oxidative stress. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the MTHFR genotype-phenotype relationship during and after pregnancy comparing hype...

Objectives To assess body composition, nutritional status and its differences between genders in a sample of Portuguese centenarians. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting Centenarians recruited in Portugal, able to give informed consent. Participants A total of 252 subjects, with a median age of 100 years, mostly women (77.8%) who ac...

Objectives To assess body composition, nutritional status and its differences between genders in a sample of Portuguese centenarians. Design: Observational cross-sectional study. Setting: Centenarians recruited in Portugal, able to give informed consent. Participants: A total of 252 subjects, with a median age of 100 years, mostly women (77.8%) who...

Introduction There is growing evidence that preeclampsia (PE) is a risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease even before the menopause. Stratification of risk can be based not only in haemodynamic and anthropometric parameters, but also in intermediate phenotypes and functional genetic polimorphisms of pathogenic pathways in hypertensio...

Introduction There is growing evidence showing that women who have had preeclampsia have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Various groups have proposed increased levels of the vasoconstrictor, Endothelin-1 (ET-1), in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia via increased angiotensin II and reactive oxygen species (ROS) throug...

Introduction: Fat-free mass has a functional significance in aging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of underweight in a Portuguese population of centenarians and their relationship with dehydration or sarcopenia. Methods/design: Anthropometric data were obtained using standard procedures from 252 centenarians (100.26±1.9...

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide, according to the latest IARC release with 528 000 new cases every year. Infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is necessary but not sufficient for progression to cancer. Epithelial tissues, the target of HPV infection, are heavily exposed to reactive oxygen speci...

To study the MTHFR and COMT polymorphisms and its interactions as susceptibility factors for the development of PE, as well as, to study in a follow up group, its influence on some biomarkers of cardiovascular risk at long term. A sample of 327 women (28.85±5.59 years old), with 142 controls (normal blood pressure in pregnancy, NBPP) and 185 with p...

Introdução: A massa livre de gordura tem um significado funcional no envelhecimento. O objetivo foi verificar se os centenários de Portugal apresentam baixo peso e, neste caso, se está associado a desidratação ou a sarcopenia. Métodos: Dados antropométricos foram adquiridos a partir de 246 centenários (100,21 ± 1,94 anos) destes, 193 genero feminin...

To study myeloperoxidase (-463 MPO promoter) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (4a/b eNOS) genetic polymorphisms as susceptibility factors associated to NO bioavailability for the development of preeclampsia (PE) (study 1), as well as, to study in a follow up group, its influence on some biomarkers of cardiovascular disease at long term (study...