breast cancer

An electrochemical immunosensor for the analysis of HER2 ECD in human serum samples was developed. To achieve this goal a screen-printed carbon electrode, modified with gold nanoparticles, was used as transducer surface. A sandwich immunoassay, using two monoclonal antibodies, was employed and the detection of the antibody-antigen interaction was performed through the analysis of an enzymatic reaction product by linear sweep voltammetry. The calibration curve was established between 15 and 100 ng/mL and a limit of detection of 4.4 ng/mL was achieved.

Authors and Affiliations:

M. Luísa Dória*¹, Ana S. Ribeiro*¹, Jun Wang², Cândida Z. Cotrim¹, Pedro Domingues¹, Cecilia Williams², M. Rosário Domingues¹ and Luisa A. Helguero¹

¹Mass Spectrometry Centre, Organic Chemistry and Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal; and

Researchers at IPATIMUP (Joana Paredes group) are focused in P-cadherin, an adhesion molecule that induces cancer stem cell and invasive properties in breast cancer. In its newest publication, this group found a downstream signaling pathway that helps clarify P-cadherin mediated aggressive effects.

This work reports an important crosstalk between P-cadherin and the laminin receptor α6β4, a link that was never previously described. The activation of this heterodimer points to a new molecular mechanism that may be targeted to counteract the effects induced by this adhesion molecule.

Authors and Affiliations:

Filipa Morais-Santos^1,2, Vera Miranda-Gonçalves^1,2, Sílvia Pinheiro^1,2, André F Vieira³, Joana Paredes³, Fernando C Schmitt^3,4,5,6, Fátima Baltazar^1,2,* and Céline Pinheiro^1,2,7,*

¹ School of Health Sciences, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal

² ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal

With the aim of encouraging new scientific discoveries to help find cancer causes and to reduce its incidence, as well as
the mechanisms that trigger metastatic breast cancer, the Association will fund a 25 thousand euros research grant. Applications are open from October 30, national day for breast cancer prevention, to  January 31st 2014.

Low-molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP) has been associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, its role remains controversial. In this study we demonstrate that the controversial role of this protein can be due to the paucity of studies focused on its two main isoforms, fast and slow. The differential expression of these isoforms should be taken into account when studying this protein in the context of tumor, namely breast cancer. Our results highlight the role of these isoforms in breast cancer.

Authors and affiliations:

Authors and affiliations:

Susana Cunha¹, Lurdes Gano¹, Goreti Ribeiro Morais¹, Thies Thiemann² and Maria Cristina Oliveira¹*

¹ Unidade de Ciências Químicas e Radiofarmacêuticas, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa

Estrada Nacional 10 ao km 139,7

2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal

² Faculty of Science, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates

Abstract: