Estudo in silico de mecanismos moleculares da coagulação-fibrinólise envolvidos no processo de cicatrização na diabetes Mellitus tipo 2
: implicações na saúde oral

  • Diana Isabel Amaral (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

With the development of biomedical research and new Proteomics methodologies, it was possible to identify all the proteins found in individual cells, tissues and organs and link the changes of these proteins with some pathologies, including the presence, absence, post-translational modifications or expressed quantity. To analyze the large number of proteins identified in proteomes is necessary the use of bioinformatic tools to be able to integrate the information obtained and compare with information available at different databases. These approaches are nowadays a decisive contribution to the clarification of molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent disease of multifactorial etiology with important implications in the oral cavity, mainly by the increased difficulties in wound healing in diabetic patients. With tese characteristics it becomes a good study model for Medic Bioinformatics application to Dental Medicine. The present work is dedicated to the analysis of the salivary proteome resulting from T2DM to verify the presence in saliva, of modified proteins involved in blood clotting and fibrinolysis, two cellular events that are crucial to the healing process. This salivary proteome analysis is particularly relevant because, nowadays, there are no published studies about the participation of salivary proteins that justifies the hypercoagulation and hipofibrinolysis occurring in T2DM. The study of T2DM salivary proteome allowed the identification of two major inhibitors of serine proteases, alpha-1-antitrypsin (SERPINA1) and alpha-2- macroglobulin (A2M), modified in T2DM. As these inhibitors play a crucial regulatory role in coagulation/fibrinolysis being both present in altered quantities in T2DM possibly causing poor wound healing. The presence, in saliva, of proteins involved in coagulation/fibrinolysis shows that this biological fluid may be a diagnosis aid. The results obtained show the potential of in silico studies of the salivary proteome, to provide new targets for future experimental studies and a possible identification of salivary biomarkers, aiming at the therapeutical, clinical or diagnostic intervention in T2DM.
Date of Award10 Oct 2011
Original languagePortuguese
Awarding Institution
  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa
SupervisorMarlene Barros (Supervisor) & Nuno Rosa (Co-Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Type 2 Diabetes mellitus
  • Salivary proteome
  • Bioinformatics
  • Blood clotting
  • Fibrinolysis

Designation

  • Mestrado em Medicina Dentária

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