Browsing by Author "Louro, Teresa"
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- How Individual Variations in the Perception of Basic Tastes and Astringency Relate with Dietary Intake and Preferences for Fruits and VegetablesPublication . Louro, Teresa; Simões, Carla; Castelo, Paula Midori; Silva, Fernando Capela e; Luis, Henrique; Moreira, Pedro; Lamy, ElsaBackground: Oral food perception plays a major role in food acceptance, although the way it relates with food preferences and final choices in adults is still debatable. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between gustatory function, dietary habits and fruit and vegetable preferences. Methods: Recognition thresholds, suprathreshold and hedonics were accessed for sweet, bitter, sour, salty and astringency in 291 adult participants. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a questionnaire for assessment of preferences for individual fruit and vegetables were filled by the participants. Results: Three clusters were obtained: “most sensitive”, “less sensitive” and “less sensitive only for sour”. The less sensitive cluster showed lower preferences for fruit and vegetables and higher intake of sweets and fast foods, whereas higher preferences for sweet veggies were observed in the “most sensitive” cluster. Basic tastes and astringency hedonics did not associate with fruit and vegetable preferences, but the sensitivity for these oral sensations did. Conclusions: Taste and astringency sensitivities are related with the preference for fruit and vegetables, being also associated with some dietary habits. The effectiveness of the strategies to promote plant-based healthy food consumption may benefit from the knowledge of individuals’ gustatory function.
- Kidney Injury in type 2 diabetic: the role of berberine treatmentPublication . Louro, TeresarType 2 diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial disease. Prolonged hyperglycemia is one of the major determinants of long-term complications of diabetes. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) refers to a set of structural and functional changes which arise in response to chronic glycemic attack. Because diabetes is a progressive disease, pharmacotherapies with complementary mechanisms of action will be necessary to achieve glycemic goals. Berberine is a natural alkaloid isolated from the Coptis Chinensis. Although routinely prescribe in Asian countries, an interest in its beneficial effects in metabolic diseases has been growing in the Western world over the last decade. The aim of our work was to analyze the effects of BBR in T2DM, specifically in several markers of diabetic nephropathy. To realize our work we analyzed the metabolic profile and several parameters (energy homeostasis, inflammation and fibrosis) in cortex kidney tissue of 12 month old rats. To testing the effects of this natural compound in diabetic renal disease, we will go studding the profile metabolic of these animals. In renal tissue we will go evaluated the activity of two enzymes activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin (Sirt)-1. Besides that, it is essential to study the role of several parameters in the evolution of renal disease like, Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and pro-inflammatory cytokines In conclusion, berberine is a valuable candidate for diabetic renal disease therapy?
- Relationship between Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Saliva CompositionPublication . Louro, Teresa; Simões, Carla; Penetra, Maria João; Carreira, Laura; Castelo, Paula Midori; Luis, Henrique; Moreira, Pedro; Lamy, Elsa: Dietary polyphenol exposure is known to change protein saliva composition in rodents, but less is known in humans. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between saliva protein composition and adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) and polyphenol intake levels. Participants were assessed for their dietary habits, which were converted in Mediterranean adherence level, according to Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score (MEDAS) score. Total polyphenol and total flavanol intakes were extrapolated from dietary data, using Phenol explorer database. Whole saliva was collected, and proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE. Salivary S-type cystatins were highly expressed in the group with medium adherence to MD, being positively correlated with wine intake in overweight individuals. The association between salivary amylase and MD adherence also depended on Body Mass Index (BMI), with a positive association only in normal weight individuals. Polyphenol intake was positively associated with S-type cystatins levels, particularly when flavanols were considered separately. These results show that saliva relationship with MD adherence depend on BMI, suggesting that normal weight and overweight individuals may have different salivary responses to diet. Moreover, these results reinforce the link between saliva and dietary polyphenols (flavanols) levels, leading to the hypothesis that salivary proteome can have a role in polyphenol-rich foods acceptance.
- Salivary Protein Profile and Food Intake: A Dietary Pattern AnalysisPublication . Louro, Teresa; Simões, Carla; Lima, Wilmara; Carreira, Laura; Castelo, Paula Midori; Luis, Henrique; Moreira, Pedro; Lamy, ElsaSaliva research has gained interest due to its potential as a source of biomarkers. One of the factors inducing changes in saliva, in the short term, is food intake, and evidence exist about changes in salivary proteome induced by some food components. Since this topic of research is in its early stages, it was hypothesized that saliva protein composition could be associated with different levels of adherence to dietary patterns that contain higher amounts of plant products. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis, in adults, by comparing salivary protein electrophoretic profiles of individuals with different diet characteristics, particularly dietary patterns (DP) that exhibit different proportions of animal and plant-based products. Dietary habits were assessed in 122 adults (61 from each sex, with ages ranging from 20 to 59 years) using Food Frequency Questionnaires. To identify the dietary patterns, a principal component analysis was used. Individual’s non-stimulated saliva was evaluated for flow rate, pH, protein concentration, α-amylase activity, and electrophoretic protein profiles. Seven dietary patterns (DP) were identified. Salivary amylase enzymatic activity was positively associated with animal-based and starchy foods DP, and with plant-based fatty foods without wine DP. At the same time, protein bands containing amylase and type S cystatins were positively associated with the cheese/yoghurt and wine DP. Our results support the association of salivary proteomics and different dietary patterns and highlight the need of considering food consumption habits in studies using saliva, since this is a factor associated with variations in the composition of this fluid.
- The Influence of (Poly)phenol Intake in Saliva Proteome: Short- and Medium-Term Effects of ApplePublication . Louro, Teresa; Carreira, Laura; Caeiro, Inês; Simões, Carla; Ricardo-Rodrigues, Sara; Rato, Ana Elisa; Silva, Fernando Capela e; Luis, Henrique; Moreira, Pedro; Lamy, ElsaThe relationship between salivary proteome and dietary habits was studied in previous works, where a relationship between salivary proteins like cystatins and polyphenol/tannin levels in diet was observed. However, it remains to be elucidated if this association results from an effect of polyphenol-rich food ingestion on saliva composition. The aim of this work was to test the effects of apple intake on the saliva proteome, both in the short and medium term (after 4 days of continuous intake). By incubating saliva samples with apple phenolic-rich extract, protein bands containing α-amylase, S-type cystatins, and proline-rich proteins (PRPs) appeared in the fraction that precipitated, showing the potential of these (poly)phenols to precipitate salivary proteins. Among these, it was salivary cystatins that presented changes in their levels both in the saliva samples collected immediately after apple intake and in the ones collected after 4 days of intake of an extra amount of apple. These results support the thought that intake is reflected in the salivary proteome. The effect of a polyphenol-rich food, like the apple, on salivary cystatin levels is in line with results observed in animal models and, due to the involvement of these proteins in oral food perception, it would be interesting to explore in future studies the effect of these changes on sensory perception and acceptance of polyphenol-rich food.