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Conceição A, Koppenol R, Nóbrega C. On the role of RNA binding proteins in polyglutamine diseases: from pathogenesis to therapeutics. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2695-2696. [PMID: 37449627 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.373711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- André Conceição
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, Faro; PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rebekah Koppenol
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, Faro; PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Koppenol R, Conceição A, Afonso IT, Afonso-Reis R, Costa RG, Tomé S, Teixeira D, da Silva JP, Côdesso JM, Brito DVC, Mendonça L, Marcelo A, Pereira de Almeida L, Matos CA, Nóbrega C. The stress granule protein G3BP1 alleviates spinocerebellar ataxia-associated deficits. Brain 2023; 146:2346-2363. [PMID: 36511898 PMCID: PMC10232246 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders caused by an abnormal expansion of CAG repeat tracts in the codifying regions of nine, otherwise unrelated, genes. While the protein products of these genes are suggested to play diverse cellular roles, the pathogenic mutant proteins bearing an expanded polyglutamine sequence share a tendency to self-assemble, aggregate and engage in abnormal molecular interactions. Understanding the shared paths that link polyglutamine protein expansion to the nervous system dysfunction and the degeneration that takes place in these disorders is instrumental to the identification of targets for therapeutic intervention. Among polyglutamine diseases, spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) share many common aspects, including the fact that they involve dysfunction of the cerebellum, resulting in ataxia. Our work aimed at exploring a putative new therapeutic target for the two forms of SCA with higher worldwide prevalence, SCA type 2 (SCA2) and type 3 (SCA3), which are caused by expanded forms of ataxin-2 (ATXN2) and ataxin-3 (ATXN3), respectively. The pathophysiology of polyglutamine diseases has been described to involve an inability to properly respond to cell stress. We evaluated the ability of GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1), an RNA-binding protein involved in RNA metabolism regulation and stress responses, to counteract SCA2 and SCA3 pathology, using both in vitro and in vivo disease models. Our results indicate that G3BP1 overexpression in cell models leads to a reduction of ATXN2 and ATXN3 aggregation, associated with a decrease in protein expression. This protective effect of G3BP1 against polyglutamine protein aggregation was reinforced by the fact that silencing G3bp1 in the mouse brain increases human expanded ATXN2 and ATXN3 aggregation. Moreover, a decrease of G3BP1 levels was detected in cells derived from patients with SCA2 and SCA3, suggesting that G3BP1 function is compromised in the context of these diseases. In lentiviral mouse models of SCA2 and SCA3, G3BP1 overexpression not only decreased protein aggregation but also contributed to the preservation of neuronal cells. Finally, in an SCA3 transgenic mouse model with a severe ataxic phenotype, G3BP1 lentiviral delivery to the cerebellum led to amelioration of several motor behavioural deficits. Overall, our results indicate that a decrease in G3BP1 levels may be a contributing factor to SCA2 and SCA3 pathophysiology, and that administration of this protein through viral vector-mediated delivery may constitute a putative approach to therapy for these diseases, and possibly other polyglutamine disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Koppenol
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedial Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - André Conceição
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedial Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Inês T Afonso
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Afonso-Reis
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Rafael G Costa
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Sandra Tomé
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diogo Teixeira
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | | | - José Miguel Côdesso
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedial Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - David V C Brito
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Liliana Mendonça
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Adriana Marcelo
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos A Matos
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
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Marcelo A, Koppenol R, de Almeida LP, Matos CA, Nóbrega C. Stress granules, RNA-binding proteins and polyglutamine diseases: too much aggregation? Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:592. [PMID: 34103467 PMCID: PMC8187637 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03873-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are membraneless cell compartments formed in response to different stress stimuli, wherein translation factors, mRNAs, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and other proteins coalesce together. SGs assembly is crucial for cell survival, since SGs are implicated in the regulation of translation, mRNA storage and stabilization and cell signalling, during stress. One defining feature of SGs is their dynamism, as they are quickly assembled upon stress and then rapidly dispersed after the stress source is no longer present. Recently, SGs dynamics, their components and their functions have begun to be studied in the context of human diseases. Interestingly, the regulated protein self-assembly that mediates SG formation contrasts with the pathological protein aggregation that is a feature of several neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, aberrant protein coalescence is a key feature of polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases, a group of nine disorders that are caused by an abnormal expansion of PolyQ tract-bearing proteins, which increases the propensity of those proteins to aggregate. Available data concerning the abnormal properties of the mutant PolyQ disease-causing proteins and their involvement in stress response dysregulation strongly suggests an important role for SGs in the pathogenesis of PolyQ disorders. This review aims at discussing the evidence supporting the existence of a link between SGs functionality and PolyQ disorders, by focusing on the biology of SGs and on the way it can be altered in a PolyQ disease context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Marcelo
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedial Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rebekah Koppenol
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal
- PhD Program in Biomedial Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos A Matos
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), Faro, Portugal.
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Nóbrega C, Conceição A, Costa RG, Koppenol R, Sequeira RL, Nunes R, Carmo-Silva S, Marcelo A, Matos CA, Betuing S, Caboche J, Cartier N, Alves S. The cholesterol 24-hydroxylase activates autophagy and decreases mutant huntingtin build-up in a neuroblastoma culture model of Huntington's disease. BMC Res Notes 2020; 13:210. [PMID: 32276655 PMCID: PMC7149904 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-020-05053-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Compromised brain cholesterol turnover and altered regulation of brain cholesterol metabolism have been allied with some neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). Following our previous studies in HD, in this study we aim to investigate in vitro in a neuroblastoma cellular model of HD, the effect of CYP46A1 overexpression, an essential enzyme in cholesterol metabolism, on huntingtin aggregation and levels. RESULTS We found that CYP46A1 reduces the quantity and size of mutant huntingtin aggregates in cells, as well as the levels of mutant huntingtin protein. Additionally, our results suggest that the observed beneficial effects of CYP46A1 in HD cells are linked to the activation of autophagy. Taken together, our results further demonstrate that CYP46A1 is a pertinent target to counteract HD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clévio Nóbrega
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal. .,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal. .,Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal. .,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - André Conceição
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rafael G Costa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rebekah Koppenol
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Raquel L Sequeira
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Nunes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Sara Carmo-Silva
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Adriana Marcelo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos A Matos
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandrine Betuing
- Neuronal Signaling and Gene Regulation, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Sciences et Ingénerie, INSERM/UMR-S 1130, CNRS/UMR 8246, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jocelyne Caboche
- Neuronal Signaling and Gene Regulation, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Sciences et Ingénerie, INSERM/UMR-S 1130, CNRS/UMR 8246, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Cartier
- INSERM U1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Sandro Alves
- Brainvectis, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 boulevard de l'Hôpital Paris, 75646, Paris Cedex 13, France.
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Nunes C, Mestre I, Marcelo A, Koppenol R, Matos CA, Nóbrega C. MSGP: the first database of the protein components of the mammalian stress granules. Database (Oxford) 2019; 2019:5367298. [PMID: 30820574 PMCID: PMC6395795 DOI: 10.1093/database/baz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In response to different stress stimuli, cells transiently form stress granules (SGs) in order to protect themselves and re-establish homeostasis. Besides these important cellular functions, SGs are now being implicated in different human diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. SGs are ribonucleoprotein granules, constituted by a variety of different types of proteins, RNAs, factors involved in translation and signaling molecules, being capable of regulating mRNA translation to facilitate stress response. However, until now a complete list of the SG components has not been available. Therefore, we aimer at identifying and linting in an open access database all the proteins described so far as components of SGs. The identification was made through an exhaustive search of studies listed in PubMed and double checked. Moreover, for each identified protein several details were also gathered from public databases, such as the molecular function, the cell types in which they were detected, the type of stress stimuli used to induce SG formation and the reference of the study describing the recruitment of the component to SGs. Expression levels in the context of different neurodegenerative diseases were also obtained and are also described in the database. The Mammalian Stress Granules Proteome is available at https://msgp.pt/, being a new and unique open access online database, the first to list all the protein components of the SGs identified so far. The database constitutes an important and valuable tool for researchers in this research area of growing interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Nunes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Isa Mestre
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Adriana Marcelo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rebekah Koppenol
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Carlos A Matos
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Marcelo A, Brito F, Carmo-Silva S, Matos CA, Alves-Cruzeiro J, Vasconcelos-Ferreira A, Koppenol R, Mendonça L, de Almeida LP, Nóbrega C. Cordycepin activates autophagy through AMPK phosphorylation to reduce abnormalities in Machado-Joseph disease models. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:51-63. [PMID: 30219871 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of citosine-adenine-guanine trinucleotide repeats in the disease-causing gene. This mutation leads to an abnormal polyglutamine tract in the protein ataxin-3 (Atx3), resulting in formation of mutant Atx3 aggregates. Despite several attempts to develop a therapeutic option for MJD, currently there are no available therapies capable of delaying or stopping disease progression. Recently, our group reported that reducing the expression levels of mutant Atx3 lead to a mitigation of several MJD-related behavior and neuropathological abnormalities. Aiming a more rapid translation to the human clinics, in this study we investigate a pharmacological inhibitor of translation-cordycepin-in several preclinical models. We found that cordycepin treatment significantly reduced (i) the levels of mutant Atx3, (ii) the neuropathological abnormalities in a lentiviral mouse model, (iii) the motor and neuropathological deficits in a transgenic mouse model and (iv) the number of ubiquitin aggregates in a human neural model. We hypothesize that the effect of cordycepin is mediated by the increase of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels, which is accompanied by a reduction in the global translation levels and by a significant activation of the autophagy pathway. Overall, this study suggests that cordycepin might constitute an effective and safe therapeutic approach for MJD, and probably for the other polyglutamine diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Marcelo
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Portugal.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine (DCBM), University of Algarve, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve and University Hospital of Algarve, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipa Brito
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sara Carmo-Silva
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos A Matos
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Alves-Cruzeiro
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Rebekah Koppenol
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Portugal
| | - Liliana Mendonça
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Portugal.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine (DCBM), University of Algarve, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve and University Hospital of Algarve, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Portugal
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