Publications by authors named "Livia das Gracas Vieito Lombardi Teodoro"
Background: Angiotensin II (Ang II), the primary effector hormone of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), acts systemically or locally, being produced by the action of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) on angiotensin I. Although several tissue RASs, such as cardiac RAS, have been described, little is known about the presence of an RAS in the pericardial fluid and its possible sources. Locally produced Ang II has paracrine and autocrine effects, inducing left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis, heart failure and cardiac dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral studies have suggested that patients with cervical intraepithelial and invasive neoplasia have reduced levels of Th1 cytokines, and increased levels of Th2 cytokines. Thus, the aim of this study was to delineate the immunological profile associated with lesion progression. Biopsies were obtained from 28 patients with low grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 53 patients with high grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), 25 patients with invasive cancer (CA), and 20 healthy controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The characterization of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in human pericardial fluid is relevant, considering its role in the angiotensin II release and thus, the role of the pericardium in cardiovascular homeostasis.
Objective: To isolate and characterize an ACE from human pericardial fluid and to compare the angiotensin I converting activities of the pericardial fluid with that of the serum in patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery.
Methods: The enzyme from human pericardial fluid was purified through chromatographic steps and characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), hydrolysis of angiotensin I, bradykinin, Hip-His-Leu and synthetic substrates with internal fluorescence suppression.