Publications by authors named "L A O Penna"
Numerous studies have focused on direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT), but little is known about consumers outside North America and Europe. Therefore, this study assesses the sociodemographic profile, motivations, and impacts of DTC-GT among Brazilian consumers. DTC-GT customers were invited to complete a 30-question online survey anonymously.
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- The study aims to explore the social support networks of Amazonian women making decisions about planned home births in Pará, Brazil.
- Conducting qualitative research with 20 women, interviews focused on experiences and knowledge shared among them, emphasizing the role of obstetric nurses during home births.
- Findings highlight that strong social networks empower women to make informed choices about childbirth, while also suggesting the need for increased support from community and healthcare systems to enhance birth experiences.
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- Natural killer (NK) cells can detect and destroy malignant cells using specific receptors, and the study investigates how certain genetic variations in these receptors impact relapse and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after stem cell transplantation.
- Researchers analyzed 1,638 genetic variations in 21 non-KIR NK cell receptor genes among 1,491 donors from multiple countries to assess their effects on relapse and GVHD, identifying eleven relevant polymorphisms.
- Although some genetic variations showed potential links to NK cell activity in vitro, the overall findings did not demonstrate strong effects of these non-KIR NK cell receptors on HSCT outcomes, as associations were not confirmed in the replication cohort.
Natural killer (NK) cells are a promising allogeneic immunotherapy option due to their natural ability to kill tumor cells, and due to their apparent safety. This study describes the development of a GMP-compliant manufacturing protocol for the local production of functionally potent NK cells tailored for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and neuroblastoma (NBL) patients. Moreover, the quality control strategy and considerations for product batch specifications in early clinical development are described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFG protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the largest family of surface receptors and are responsible for key physiological functions, including cell growth, neurotransmission, hormone release, and cell migration. The GPCR 56 (GPR56), encoded by ADGRG1, is an adhesion GPCR found on diverse cell types, including neural progenitor cells, melanoma cells, and lymphocytes, such as effector memory T cells, γδ T cells, and NK cells. Using RNA-sequencing and high-resolution flow cytometry, we found that GPR56 mRNA and protein expression increased with NK cell differentiation, reaching its peak in adaptive NK cells.
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