Browsing by Author "Salvador, R"
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- Expression of HLA-DR in Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes: A Validated Predictive Biomarker and a Potential Therapeutic Strategy in Breast CancerPublication . Saraiva, DP; Azeredo-Lopes, S; Antunes, A; Salvador, R; Borralho, P; Assis, B; Pereira, IL; Seabra, Z; Negreiros, I; Jacinto, A; Braga, S; Cabral, MGNeoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is common in breast cancer (BC) treatment, though more than half of the patients lack an effective response. Therefore, new predictive biomarkers and alternative therapies are crucial. Previously, we proposed HLA-DR-expressing cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) as a potential biomarker of the response to NACT. To validate this observation and further investigate these cells, 202 BC patients were enrolled. Flow cytometry analyses were performed in 61 biopsies and 41 blood samples pre-NACT and 100 non-NACT tumor samples. All the patients were followed up for 34 months. Blood-isolated immune cells were cultured with BC cell lines in a 3D system. We confirmed that HLA-DR level in CTLs is a highly sensitive, specific, and independent biomarker to predict response to NACT and developed a predictive probability model. This biomarker was also associated with progression-free survival, regardless of the treatment. The clinical observations are substantiated by the anti-tumor properties of HLA-DR-expressing CTLs. Intriguingly, HLA-DR level in CTLs can be modulated ex vivo, boosting their capacity to kill tumor cells synergistically with doxorubicin. Thus, HLA-DR expression in CTLs is a validated tool to select patients that will actually benefit from NACT, and its stimulation might be a novel therapeutic approach for BC.
- Participative Approaches to the Portuguese Maritime ClusterPublication . Simões, A.; Salvador, R; e Guedes Soares, CAs a public good, sea must be enjoyed and preserved according to the will of the majority of citizens. In order to do that, marine and maritime resources management must be accomplished through participative and democratic processes that increase the probability of correct decisions. The development of a participative sea-related process ought to facilitate the emergence of more creative and reality-adjusted solutions. The paper presents both the results of an inquiry launched to the seventy members (companies and public institutions) of the “Maritime Economy Entrepreneurship Forum” (MEEF) and the synthesis of a Delphi panel–type methodology based on fifteen maritime experts’ opinions. Based in these results, the authors propose a strategy in line with the UNESCO “Community-Based Strategy” (CBS).