Helena Flores Mello
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Network
Latest external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.
Publication
Featured researches published by Helena Flores Mello.
Veterinary Journal | 2016
Priscilla Domingues Mörschbächer; T.N. Alves Garcez; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz; Alessandra Bileski Magrisso; Helena Flores Mello; Veronica Machado Rolim; Elisa Barp Neuwald; David Driemeier; Emerson Antonio Contesini; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, and there is evidence to suggest that stem cell transplantation may be a viable treatment option for this condition. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to assess myocardial regeneration in rabbits with doxorubicin-induced DCM treated with adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) alone or in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Twenty New Zealand rabbits received doxorubicin for the induction of DCM and were divided into four groups according to treatment: saline, MSC, PRP and MSC + RP. Treatment agents were injected directly into the left ventricular myocardium following a thoracoscopy. Rabbits were assessed through echocardiographic and electrocardiographic examinations, as well as serum cardiac troponin I measurements at baseline, after the induction of DCM and 15 days after treatment. Animals were euthanased following the last assessment, and hearts were collected for histopathological analyses. The MSC group showed improvements in all parameters assessed, while the PRP group showed significantly impaired heart function. Histopathology of the heart revealed that the MSC group displayed the lowest number of lesions, while rabbits in the MSC + PRP, saline and PRP groups had steadily advancing lesions. These results suggest that MSC transplantation can improve heart function in rabbits with DCM, and underscore the need for further studies of the effects of PRP on the myocardium.
Cytotherapy | 2018
Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Michele Aramburu Serafini; Helena Flores Mello; Bianca Pfaffenseller; Anelise Bergmann Araujo; Fernanda Visioli; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz
BACKGROUND AIMS Although mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown therapeutic potential in intestinal tissue repair, controversy concerning their short survival and poor biodistribution in recipient tissues still remains. Therefore, we investigated the paracrine role of MSC in three-dimensional culture of colon with experimental colitis. METHODS Colitis was induced in mice by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7 days. Inflammatory responses were assessed on the basis of clinical signs, morphological, and histopathological parameters. On days 2 and 5, colonic explants were removed, and a three-dimensional culture was performed. The structural integrity of the intestinal mucosa was tested by treating the cultures with MSC or conditioned medium (CM) for 24 h, and then the colons were analyzed for histology/immunohistochemistry and interleukin (IL)-6 production. RESULTS Histological analysis demonstrated that both MSC and CM treatment reduced colon damage in organ culture. An increase in cell proliferation (Ki-67 staining) was observed after CM treatment. Additionally, MSC treatment was able to reduce CD3+ cells. The therapeutic effect of MSC and CM was mediated by the downregulation of IL-6. DISCUSSION The intestinal in vitro model has shown to be potentially useful for studying cellular interactions in a three-dimensional cell arrangement. Moreover, our results provide strong evidence that both MSC and CM treatments can alleviate colonic damage in organ culture. Importantly, these results suggest that MSC-secreted factors are able to protect the colon from inflammation caused by DSS-induced colitis independent of cell transplantation.
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae | 2018
Tuane Nerissa Alves Garcez; Helena Flores Mello; Priscilla Domingues Mörschbächer; Paula Barros Terraciano; Víviam Nunes Pignone; Marta Justina Giotti Cioato; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima; Emerson Antonio Contesini
Background: In recent decades, many researches have been conducted on processes involved in tissue repairing, mainly in the development of resources and technology designed to improve the wound healing progress. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) derived from autologous blood is defined as a plasma volume with platelet concentration higher than physiological level. It is an autogenous and low cost source of growth factors, which are essential for tissue regeneration due to their angiogenic, mitogenic, and chemotactic properties. The aim of this study was evaluate two forms of PRP- liquid and gel - regarding their capacity to influence quality and repair time of standardized skin injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: New Zealand healthy rabbits were distributed in three groups (n = 6): control group (CG), liquid platelet rich plasma group (LIQPRP), and gel platelet rich plasma group (GELPRP). Acute skin lesions were inducted in two areas approximately 2 cm close to scapular edge and depth including epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis to external muscular fascia. Animals received treatment according to each group. Injuries were measured with digital pachymeter in two directions: longer length (l) and longer width (w), every two days. Areas and healing rates were calculated. Microscopic analysis samples were collected on days seven and 14 and evaluated through hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE) for global tissue examination, and through Masson’s trichrome (MT) to collagen fibers present within the interstice. These analyzes considered: angiogenesis, inflammation infiltrated and collagen fibers quantity. Immunohistochemistry with anti-Ki-67 antibody was utilized for proliferative profile assessment. Kruskal-Wallis’ non-parametric tests of independent samples was performed for comparison of values obtained through platelet count, referring to evaluation of platelet increase on treatments. Scar contraction rate (CR) was evaluated through Shapiro-Wilk’s normality test, and then submitted to mixed models test. Results obtained by histopathological and immunohistochemistry were also evaluated by Shapiro-Wilk’s normality test (for all tests a 5% level of significance was considered). Platelet concentration achieved with liquid PRP was 8.64 and gel PRP reached 5.62 times higher than physiological values. Platelet increase mean for both groups was 7.95. No statistical significance was observed between groups. No side-effects or adverse reactions related to PRP usage were observed while study was conducted. Discussion: In the present study, there was a need to raise platelet poor plasma volume in order to obtain autogenous thrombin required for gel PRP. After this modification, a stable and reasonable platelet concentration gel was produced. However, this form of PRP application requires more time for sample preparation, increasing the production cost. Furthermore, injection of liquid PRP directly in the wound site activates platelets by generated substances due to needle perforation, and mainly due to tissue trauma generated at the lesion site. Relating to the therapies administered, gel PRP was considered more manageable, since 3D structure could easily adapt to wound site after simply deposition of it. Liquid PRP was administered with needle and syringe, which required the surgeon to be more careful and perform a slow injection in order to avoid any spill and loss of material. Furthermore, histopathological analysis did not point any clot traces formed by gel PRP dehydration, although it is not possible to ensure that the clot was eliminated, reabsorbed, or even removed by the animal. By this protocol, a stable and reasonable platelet concentration gel was produced. Further studies are encouraged as well as employment of alternative diagnostic tools, in order to better understand found results.
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae | 2013
Tuane Nerissa Alves Garcez; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz; Alessandra Bileski Magrisso; Helena Flores Mello; Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Fabíola Schons Meyer; Emerson Antonio Contesini; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae | 2013
Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Natália Schneider; Helena Flores Mello; Eduardo Pandolfi Passos; Luíse Meurer; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae | 2013
Tuane Nerissa Alves Garcez; A. H. da R. Paz; Alessandra Bileski Magrisso; Helena Flores Mello; F. da C. Gonçalves; Fabíola Schons Meyer; Emerson Antonio Contesini; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae | 2016
Tuane Nerissa Alves Garcez; Helena Flores Mello; Priscilla Domingues Mörschbächer; Paula Barros Terraciano; Víviam Nunes Pignone; Marta Justina Giotti Cioato; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima; Emerson Antonio Contesini
Archive | 2013
Tuane Nerissa; Alves Garcez; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz; Alessandra Bileski Magrisso; Helena Flores Mello; Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Fabíola Schons Meyer; Emerson Antonio Contesini; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima
Archive | 2013
Fernanda Otesbelgue Pinto; Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Natália Schneider; Helena Flores Mello; Eduardo Pandolfi Passos; Elizabeth Obino Cirne Lima; Luíse Meurer; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz
Comparação entre três protocolos de obtenção de plasma rico em plaquetas (PRP) utilizando o coelho como modelo experimental | 2013
Tuane Nerissa Alves Garcez; Ana Helena da Rosa Paz; Alessandra Bileski Magrisso; Helena Flores Mello; Fabiany da Costa Gonçalves; Fabíola Schons Meyer; Emerson Antonio Contesini; Elizabeth Obino Cirne-Lima