Maria de Lourdes Higuchi

• Abstract

  Atherosclerosis is a systemic inflammatory disease that can lead to myocardial infarction, stroke and ischemia. The microenvironment in an atherosclerotic plaque contains pro-inflammatory cytokines, high levels of oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDL) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is deposition of collagen that circumscribe the atheroma by the fibrous capsule, stabilizing i…

  Microparticles in the serum: study of possible new biomarkers of plaque instability, AP.R

• Abstract

  Heart failure (HF) remains a major public health problem worldwide, with about 30 to 40% of patients dying after one year of initial diagnosis of the disease, both in Brazil and in the world. Molecular biology has detected viral genomes, Borrelia burgdorferi and Chlamydophila pneumoniae in most cases of lymphocytic myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the incidence and n…

  Morpho-biomolecular investigation for detection of infectious agents in dilated cardiomyopathy and lymphocytic myocarditis, AP.R

• Abstract

  In human atherosclerotic plaques has been described the presence of large amounts of microparticles (MPs), vesicles coated with membrane that have pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory properties that can induce endothelial and vascular dysfunction as well as platelet activation, and influence in various cellular functions, including inflammatory response, so that combating it could indicate…

  Microparticles and nanoparticles in atherosclerosis: from atherogenesis to treatment, AP.R

(Only some records are available in English at this moment)

• Abstract

  Heart failure (HF) is a major problem of global public health, and the lack of a deeper pathogenic understanding of the causing diseases is the greatest difficulty for treatment's choice, especially of Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Objectives: Verify if immunosuppressive therapy administered to transplant patients to prevent organ rejection is associated with the increase of in…

  Identification of infectious agents in post-heart transplant endomyocardial biopsy of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and lymphocytic myocarditis, BP.MS

• Abstract

  Heart Failure (HF) is one of the biggest health problems in the world. In United States, five millions patients are affected, death occurring in 30 to 40% after one year of the diagnosis. The costs related to the disease are approximately 30 billions of dollars; the complexity, morbidity and mortality are similar in Brazil. DNAs from viral agents, Borrelia burgerdorferi and Chlamydophila …

  Possible action of immunossupressive therapy on proliferation of antigens and DNA from Borrelia burgerdorferi and Chlamydophila pneumoniae in the myocardium: comparison of their levels before and after heart transplantation, and relationship with rejection, BP.IC

• Abstract

  Chronic chagasic cardiopathy (CC) occurs in the part of the Trypanosoma cruzi infected individuals in association with fibrous lymphocytic myocarditis and C5b-9 complement deposition, a usual component of the anti-microbial immune response. The scarcity of T.cruzi antigens among the inflammation has raised autoimmune theories. We raised the hypothesis that microbial components from Archae…

  Study of possible correlation between antigens of Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Chlamydophila pneumoniae and archaeal DNA in serum versus microparticles in endomyocardial biopsies of patients with chronic chagasic cardiopathy, BP.IC