Ana Filipa Martins

Ms. Ana Filipa Martins

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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1 November 2022 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
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AMAna Filipa Martins
Ana Filipa Martins
ANAna Catarina Neto
Ana Catarina Neto
ARAdriana Rodrigues
Adriana Rodrigues
SOSandra Marisa Oliveira
Sandra Marisa Oliveira
CMCláudia Mendes
Cláudia Mendes
DNDelminda Neves
Delminda Neves
This study aimed to evaluate if the treatment with metformin affects the morphologic structure, endothelial function, angiogenesis, inflammation and oxidation-responsive pathways in the heart of mice with surgically induced endometriosis. B6CBA/F1 mice (n = 37) were divided into four groups; Sham (S), Metformin (M), Endometriosis (E) and Metformin/Endometriosis (ME). The cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes was assessed after Hematoxylin–Eosin staining and fibrosis after Picrosirius-Red staining. ET-1, nitric oxide synthases-iNOS and eNOS, and VEGF and VEGFR-2 were detected by immunofluorescence. Semi-quantification of ET-1, eNOS, VEGF, NF-kB, Ikβα and KEAP-1 was performed by Western blotting. MIR199a, MIR16-1, MIR18a, MIR20a, MIR155, MIR200a, MIR342, MIR24-1 and MIR320a were quantified by Real-Time qPCR. The interaction of endometriosis and metformin effects was assessed by a two-way ANOVA test. Compared with the other groups, M-treated mice presented a higher cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes. Heart fibrosis increased with endometriosis. Treatment of endometriosis with metformin in the ME group downregulates ET-1 and upregulates eNOS expression comparatively with the E group. However, metformin failed to mitigate NF-kB expression significantly incremented by endometriosis. The expression of MIR199a, MIR16-1 and MIR18a decreased with endometriosis, whereas MIR20a showed an equivalent trend, altogether reducing cardioprotection. In summary, metformin diminished endometriosis-associated endothelial dysfunction but did not mitigate the increase in NF-kB expression and cardiac fibrosis in mice with endometriosis.