Ana Moleiro | Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (original) (raw)

Papers by Ana Moleiro

Clinical Ophthalmology, 2021

Purpose: Although classically classified as a non-inflammatory condition, an inflammatory basis f... more Purpose: Although classically classified as a non-inflammatory condition, an inflammatory basis for keratoconus (KC) appears to be a growing evidence. Recently, it has been shown that KC patients have an increased choroidal thickness (CT). Among inflammatory disorders, atopy has been associated with KC development; therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if the increased CT in patients with KC is related to atopy. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study of patients with KC. Patients were classified as atopic and non-atopic according to their atopy history (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR), asthma (AA) and/or atopic dermatitis (AD)) and were also classified based on their eye rubbing habits. Choroidal profile of all subjects was evaluated using a Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) device with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode. CT was measured and compared between groups at the center of the fovea and at 500 µm intervals along a horizontal section. A multivariable analysis, adjusted for sex, age, spherical equivalent, history of medication and atopy, was performed to assess the influence of atopy in CT. Results: Of the 80 patients included, 51 were atopic and 29 non-atopic. Atopic patients showed a thicker choroid in every measured location than the non-atopic patients (mean subfoveal CT 391.53 µm vs 351.17 µm, respectively), although the differences were not statistically different. The multivariable analysis revealed that being atopic makes the choroid statistically thicker, on average, 55.14 µm, when compared to non-atopic patients (p=0.043). Furthermore, patients who are frequent eye rubbers have significantly thicker choroids than non-rubbers (p=0.004). Conclusion: Although some results do not reach statistical significance, atopic KC patients seem to have thicker choroids compared with non-atopic KC patients, suggesting a possible role for atopy in the choroidal profile of KC. This constitutes a completely new sight in this field of research that needs further investigation.

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2015

Journal of Ophthalmology, 2017

Angiogenesis is a biological process with a central role in retinal diseases. The choice of the i... more Angiogenesis is a biological process with a central role in retinal diseases. The choice of the ideal method to study angiogenesis, particularly in the retina, remains a problem. Angiogenesis can be assessed throughin vitroandin vivostudies. In spite of inherent limitations,in vitrostudies are faster, easier to perform and quantify, and typically less expensive and allow the study of isolated angiogenesis steps. We performed a systematic review of PubMed searching for original articles that appliedin vitroor ex vivo angiogenic retinal assays until May 2017, presenting the available assays and discussing their applicability, advantages, and disadvantages. Most of the studies evaluated migration, proliferation, and tube formation of endothelial cells in response to inhibitory or stimulatory compounds. Other aspects of angiogenesis were studied by assessing cell permeability, adhesion, or apoptosis, as well as by implementing organotypic models of the retina. Emphasis is placed on how ...

Acta Ophthalmologica, 2014

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of ghrelin in a primate ch... more ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of ghrelin in a primate choroid retinal cell line cultured under hyperglycemic conditions and its effect on the early changes of diabetic retinopathy in an animal model of type1 diabetes mellitus (DM1).Methods A RF/6a cell line was used in the in vitro assay. Cell migration was assessed using the wound healing assay under increasing (0-300mM) glucose concentrations. To test its effect, ghrelin was added (10-5-10-10nM) to the cell cultures for 24h. Positive controls had VEGF added to the medium. For the in vivo studies, diabetic Wistar rats received intravitreal injections of either ghrelin (81nM) or saline every 4 weeks for 3 months. Vascular permeability was assessed using the Evans blue assay.Results Increasing concentrations of glucose show a reduction in cell migration distance. We defined 10 mM of glucose as the basal and 250 mM as the hyperglycemic condition. At a concentration of 10-8 nM ghrelin potentiates the reduction of migration induced by the hyperglycemic medium, and reduces the migration induced by VEGF. Regarding the in vivo model, diabetic animals treated with intravitreal ghrelin injections showed no alteration in vascular permeability, when compared with diabetic controls.Conclusion Ghrelin reduces cell migration in choroid-retinal cells under hyperglycemic media, but appears to have no effect on the vascular permeability in a DM1 animal model.

Acta Ophthalmologica, 2015

Purpose Ghrelin is a peptide expressed in many organs and tissues. Recently, ghrelin has been imp... more Purpose Ghrelin is a peptide expressed in many organs and tissues. Recently, ghrelin has been implicated in the pathophysiology of proliferative retinopathy, although its true involvement remains unclear. The aim of this study is to test the effect of ghrelin in the migration, proliferation, apoptosis and in vitro angiogenesis of primate choroid retinal endothelial cells (RF/6A), cultured under high glucose conditions. Methods RF/6A cells were incubated for 24 hours with different glucose concentrations (0–300 mM). Cell migration was assessed using wound-healing assay. Colorimetric immunoassay was used for the quantification of cell proliferation, based on the measurement of BrdU incorporation. Cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL technique. For each glucose concentration, the effect of ghrelin (10–10 to 10–5 nM) was determined after 24 hours of incubation. The in vitro angiogenesis was assessed by tube formation assay after exposure to the same glucose concentrations and ghrelin (10–7 nM) for 4 hours. Results Ghrelin significantly inhibited RF/6A cell migration at every glucose concentrations, although this effect is more consistent under low glucose environment. Ghrelin, at the concentration of 10–7 nM, significantly reduces cell proliferation at every glucose concentration. In vitro angiogenesis is decreased by ghrelin under a high glucose environment. No differences on the apoptosis assay were seen. Conclusions In conclusion, ghrelin significantly inhibits RF/6A cells migration, proliferation and in vitro angiogenesis, under high glucose environment.

International Medical Case Reports Journal, 2021

Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is an optic neuropathy of mitochondrial inher... more Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is an optic neuropathy of mitochondrial inheritance. Childhood-onset disease is relatively rare and there are limited data on this important patient subgroup. Case Presentation We present 3 particular presentations of LHON. Patient 1 was an 8-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting a progressive bilateral visual loss and intermittent headaches. Neuro-ophthalmological examination revealed a bilateral pseudopapilledema. Lumbar puncture identified intracranial hypertension and the brain and orbits magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 hyperintensity in the posterior region of the left optic nerve and the optic chiasm. Patient 2 was a 12-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting painless, progressive central vision loss in the right eye. Fundus examination revealed a hyperemic disc and vascular network papillary and peripapillary vascular microdilations. Three months later, the left eye presented vi...

Clinical Ophthalmology, 2021

Purpose: Although classically classified as a non-inflammatory condition, an inflammatory basis f... more Purpose: Although classically classified as a non-inflammatory condition, an inflammatory basis for keratoconus (KC) appears to be a growing evidence. Recently, it has been shown that KC patients have an increased choroidal thickness (CT). Among inflammatory disorders, atopy has been associated with KC development; therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if the increased CT in patients with KC is related to atopy. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study of patients with KC. Patients were classified as atopic and non-atopic according to their atopy history (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR), asthma (AA) and/or atopic dermatitis (AD)) and were also classified based on their eye rubbing habits. Choroidal profile of all subjects was evaluated using a Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) device with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode. CT was measured and compared between groups at the center of the fovea and at 500 µm intervals along a horizontal section. A multivariable analysis, adjusted for sex, age, spherical equivalent, history of medication and atopy, was performed to assess the influence of atopy in CT. Results: Of the 80 patients included, 51 were atopic and 29 non-atopic. Atopic patients showed a thicker choroid in every measured location than the non-atopic patients (mean subfoveal CT 391.53 µm vs 351.17 µm, respectively), although the differences were not statistically different. The multivariable analysis revealed that being atopic makes the choroid statistically thicker, on average, 55.14 µm, when compared to non-atopic patients (p=0.043). Furthermore, patients who are frequent eye rubbers have significantly thicker choroids than non-rubbers (p=0.004). Conclusion: Although some results do not reach statistical significance, atopic KC patients seem to have thicker choroids compared with non-atopic KC patients, suggesting a possible role for atopy in the choroidal profile of KC. This constitutes a completely new sight in this field of research that needs further investigation.

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2015

Journal of Ophthalmology, 2017

Angiogenesis is a biological process with a central role in retinal diseases. The choice of the i... more Angiogenesis is a biological process with a central role in retinal diseases. The choice of the ideal method to study angiogenesis, particularly in the retina, remains a problem. Angiogenesis can be assessed throughin vitroandin vivostudies. In spite of inherent limitations,in vitrostudies are faster, easier to perform and quantify, and typically less expensive and allow the study of isolated angiogenesis steps. We performed a systematic review of PubMed searching for original articles that appliedin vitroor ex vivo angiogenic retinal assays until May 2017, presenting the available assays and discussing their applicability, advantages, and disadvantages. Most of the studies evaluated migration, proliferation, and tube formation of endothelial cells in response to inhibitory or stimulatory compounds. Other aspects of angiogenesis were studied by assessing cell permeability, adhesion, or apoptosis, as well as by implementing organotypic models of the retina. Emphasis is placed on how ...

Acta Ophthalmologica, 2014

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of ghrelin in a primate ch... more ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of ghrelin in a primate choroid retinal cell line cultured under hyperglycemic conditions and its effect on the early changes of diabetic retinopathy in an animal model of type1 diabetes mellitus (DM1).Methods A RF/6a cell line was used in the in vitro assay. Cell migration was assessed using the wound healing assay under increasing (0-300mM) glucose concentrations. To test its effect, ghrelin was added (10-5-10-10nM) to the cell cultures for 24h. Positive controls had VEGF added to the medium. For the in vivo studies, diabetic Wistar rats received intravitreal injections of either ghrelin (81nM) or saline every 4 weeks for 3 months. Vascular permeability was assessed using the Evans blue assay.Results Increasing concentrations of glucose show a reduction in cell migration distance. We defined 10 mM of glucose as the basal and 250 mM as the hyperglycemic condition. At a concentration of 10-8 nM ghrelin potentiates the reduction of migration induced by the hyperglycemic medium, and reduces the migration induced by VEGF. Regarding the in vivo model, diabetic animals treated with intravitreal ghrelin injections showed no alteration in vascular permeability, when compared with diabetic controls.Conclusion Ghrelin reduces cell migration in choroid-retinal cells under hyperglycemic media, but appears to have no effect on the vascular permeability in a DM1 animal model.

Acta Ophthalmologica, 2015

Purpose Ghrelin is a peptide expressed in many organs and tissues. Recently, ghrelin has been imp... more Purpose Ghrelin is a peptide expressed in many organs and tissues. Recently, ghrelin has been implicated in the pathophysiology of proliferative retinopathy, although its true involvement remains unclear. The aim of this study is to test the effect of ghrelin in the migration, proliferation, apoptosis and in vitro angiogenesis of primate choroid retinal endothelial cells (RF/6A), cultured under high glucose conditions. Methods RF/6A cells were incubated for 24 hours with different glucose concentrations (0–300 mM). Cell migration was assessed using wound-healing assay. Colorimetric immunoassay was used for the quantification of cell proliferation, based on the measurement of BrdU incorporation. Cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL technique. For each glucose concentration, the effect of ghrelin (10–10 to 10–5 nM) was determined after 24 hours of incubation. The in vitro angiogenesis was assessed by tube formation assay after exposure to the same glucose concentrations and ghrelin (10–7 nM) for 4 hours. Results Ghrelin significantly inhibited RF/6A cell migration at every glucose concentrations, although this effect is more consistent under low glucose environment. Ghrelin, at the concentration of 10–7 nM, significantly reduces cell proliferation at every glucose concentration. In vitro angiogenesis is decreased by ghrelin under a high glucose environment. No differences on the apoptosis assay were seen. Conclusions In conclusion, ghrelin significantly inhibits RF/6A cells migration, proliferation and in vitro angiogenesis, under high glucose environment.

International Medical Case Reports Journal, 2021

Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is an optic neuropathy of mitochondrial inher... more Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is an optic neuropathy of mitochondrial inheritance. Childhood-onset disease is relatively rare and there are limited data on this important patient subgroup. Case Presentation We present 3 particular presentations of LHON. Patient 1 was an 8-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting a progressive bilateral visual loss and intermittent headaches. Neuro-ophthalmological examination revealed a bilateral pseudopapilledema. Lumbar puncture identified intracranial hypertension and the brain and orbits magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 hyperintensity in the posterior region of the left optic nerve and the optic chiasm. Patient 2 was a 12-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting painless, progressive central vision loss in the right eye. Fundus examination revealed a hyperemic disc and vascular network papillary and peripapillary vascular microdilations. Three months later, the left eye presented vi...