LEA MARIA MACRUZ FERREIRA DEMARCHI

(Fonte: Lattes)
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Lattes
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Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina - Médico

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  • article 37 Citação(ões) na Scopus
    StreptInCor: A Candidate Vaccine Epitope against S. pyogenes Infections Induces Protection in Outbred Mice
    (2013) POSTOL, Edilberto; ALENCAR, Raquel; HIGA, Fabio T.; BARROS, Samar Freschi de; DEMARCHI, Lea M. F.; KALIL, Jorge; GUILHERME, Luiza
    Infection with Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) can result in several diseases, particularly in children. S. pyogenes M protein is the major virulence factor, and certain regions of its N-terminus can trigger autoimmune sequelae such as rheumatic fever in susceptible individuals with untreated group A streptococcal pharyngitis. In a previous study, we utilized a large panel of human peripheral blood cells to define the C-terminal protective epitope StreptInCor (medical identity), which does not induce autoimmune reactions. We recently confirmed the results in HLA-transgenic mice. In the present study, we extended the experimental assays to outbred animals (Swiss mice). Herein, we demonstrate high titers of StreptInCor-specific antibodies, as well as appropriate T-cell immune responses. No cross-reaction to cardiac myosin was detected. Additionally, immunized Swiss mice exhibited 87% survival one month after challenge with S. pyogenes. In conclusion, the data presented herein reinforce previous results in humans and animals and further emphasize that StreptInCor could be an effective and safe vaccine for the prevention of S. pyogenes infections.
  • article 10 Citação(ões) na Scopus
    Rheumatic Heart Disease and Myxomatous Degeneration: Differences and Similarities of Valve Damage Resulting from Autoimmune Reactions and Matrix Disorganization
    (2017) MARTINS, Carlo de Oliveira; DEMARCHI, Lea; FERREIRA, Frederico Moraes; POMERANTZEFF, Pablo Maria Alberto; BRANDAO, Carlos; SAMPAIO, Roney Orismar; SPINA, Guilherme Sobreira; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; GUILHERME, Luiza
    Autoimmune inflammatory reactions leading to rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) result from untreated Streptococcus pyogenes throat infections in individuals who exhibit genetic susceptibility. Immune effector mechanisms have been described that lead to heart tissue damage culminating in mitral and aortic valve dysfunctions. In myxomatous valve degeneration (MXD), the mitral valve is also damaged due to non-inflammatory mechanisms. Both diseases are characterized by structural valve disarray and a previous proteomic analysis of them has disclosed a distinct profile of matrix/structural proteins differentially expressed. Given their relevance in organizing valve tissue, we quantitatively evaluated the expression of vimentin, collagen VI, lumican, and vitronectin as well as performed immunohistochemical analysis of their distribution in valve tissue lesions of patients in both diseases. We identified abundant expression of two isoforms of vimentin (45 kDa, 42 kDa) with reduced expression of the full-size protein (54 kDa) in RHD valves. We also found increased vitronectin expression, reduced collagen VI expression and similar lumican expression between RHD and MXD valves. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated disrupted patterns of these proteins in myxomatous degeneration valves and disorganized distribution in rheumatic heart disease valves that correlated with clinical manifestations such as valve regurgitation or stenosis. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed a diverse pattern of distribution of collagen VI and lumican into RHD and MXD valves. Altogether, these results demonstrated distinct patterns of altered valve expression and tissue distribution/ organization of structural/matrix proteins that play important pathophysiological roles in both valve diseases.