Inês Páscoa

Dr. Inês Páscoa


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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25 January 2023 in Sensors
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
IPInês Páscoa
Inês Páscoa
RBRita Biltes
Rita Biltes
JSJoão Pedro Sousa
João Pedro Sousa
Marco PretoMarco Preto
Marco Preto
Vitor VasconcelosVitor Vasconcelos
Vitor Vasconcelos
Isabel CunhaIsabel Cunha
Isabel Cunha
Cyanobacteria produce a wealth of secondary metabolites. Since these organisms attach fatty acids into molecules in unprecedented ways, cyanobacteria can serve as a novel source for bioactive compounds acting as ligands for Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPAR). PPARs (PPARα, PPARβ/δ and PPARγ) are ligand-activated nuclear receptors, involved in the regulation of various metabolic and cellular processes, thus serving as potential drug targets for a variety of pathologies. Yet, given that PPARs’ agonists can have pan-, dual- or isoform-specific action, some controversy has been raised over currently approved drugs and their side effects, highlighting the need for novel molecules. Here, we expand and validate a cell-based PPAR transactivation activity biosensor, and test it in a screening campaign to guide drug discovery. Biosensor upgrades included the use of different reporter genes to increase signal intensity and stability, a different promoter to modulate reporter gene expression, and multiplexing to improve efficiency. Sensor’s limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.36–0.89 nM in uniplex and 0.89–1.35 nM in multiplex mode. In triplex mode, the sensor’s feature screening, a total of 848 fractions of 96 cyanobacteria extracts were screened. Hits were confirmed in multiplex mode and in uniplex mode, yielding one strain detected to have action on PPARα and three strains to have dual action on PPARα and -β.