Associate Professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FCA) at UNICAMP since 2010. She has experience in Biochemistry, with an emphasis on Metabolic Disorders and Metabolic Programming, working mainly on the following topics: intracellular signaling, obesity and diabetes, epigenetics. Permanent professor accredited by the Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences and Sports and Metabolism - UNICAMP/Li. Member of the Laboratory of Metabolism Disorders (LAbDiMe), Research Center on Metabolic Programming and Perinatal Management (MPPM Center), Research Center on Obesity and Comorbidities (OCRC). Member of the Brazilian Association of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD Brasil) and International DOHaD Society.
EDUCATION
Graduated in Biological Sciences at UNICAMP (1995), Master's degree in Biochemistry at UNICAMP (1999), Ph.D. in Internal Medicine at UNICAMP (2004) and postdoctoral at UNICAMP (2006) and the University of Michigan (2014).
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Experience in Biochemistry, with emphasis on Metabolic Disorders and Metabolic Programming, working mainly on the following topics: intracellular signaling, obesity and diabetes, epigenetics.
Preoperative Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methyl-Butyrate Supplementation Reduces Mitochondrial Dynamics Proteins and Preserves Hepatic Mitochondrial Function After Partial Hepatectomy in Mice A. L. Vieira‐da‐Silva, M. V. Esteca, F. A. Silva, I. A. Divino, F. S. Carneiro, et al. Acta Physiologica, 2026 Aim The liver exhibits a remarkable regenerative capacity, enabling this organ to maintain homeostasis even after significant injury. However, hepatic regeneration requires sufficient energy to sustain cellular hypertrophy and proliferation, thus ensuring efficient tissue repair. Therefore, dietary modulation of pathways regulating mitochondrial quality may enhance liver regeneration. This study aimed to investigate the effects of preoperative beta‐hydroxy‐beta‐methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on mitochondrial quality control pathways and its impact on the liver regeneration process in mice undergoing partial hepatectomy (PHx). Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were supplemented with 600 mg/kg HMB via gavage for 10 days. On the 10th day, supplementation was discontinued, and the mice underwent a ⅔ liver resection. The subsequent 7 days have constituted the liver regeneration period. For a second injury induction, at the end of the 7th day of regeneration, acetaminophen (APAP) overdose was administered via gavage . We then analyzed several markers of mitochondrial quality and liver function. Results Our results indicate that preoperative HMB supplementation modulates cell cycle progression, preventing excessive hepatic mass accumulation. Additionally, HMB regulates mitochondrial dynamics by decreasing Parkin, Mfn2, and DRP1 protein levels while increasing the mitochondrial markers VDAC2 and Tom20. Following a second injury from an APAP overdose, the HMB‐supplemented group demonstrated increased mtDNA content and enhanced mitochondrial capacity, both critical for effective tissue recovery. Conclusion Our findings suggest that preoperative HMB supplementation preserves hepatic mitochondrial capacity after PHx.
Evaluation of serum and dietary profiles of vitamin B12 and folate and their association with systemic complications in patients with Crohn’s disease Marina Moreira de Castro, Vitor Nascimento dos Santos, Maysa Santos Gomes, Aline Dias Gonçalves Ferraz, Leticia Martins Ignacio-Souza, et al. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2026 Background/objective Crohn’s Disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects micronutrient levels, impacting metabolic pathways. Homocysteine (Hcy) levels, regulated by folate and vitamin B12, are associated with cardiovascular and extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs). This study aims to analyze the dietary intake and serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 and their relationship with systemic complications in patients with CD in remission and active phases. Methods This cross-sectional study included 60 patients, and nutrient intake was stratified into tertiles by disease phase. The metabolic safety of folate and B12 was evaluated by characterizing metabolic risk patterns associated with elevated Hcy. Statistical analyses evaluated associations between dietary intake, metabolic safety, and disease phenotype. Results Vitamin B12 intake was negatively associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and positively associated with the absence of EIMs. Serum folate and non-HDL cholesterol levels were lower in the active group. Clinical vitamin B12 deficiency was more frequent in active disease, contributing to an elevated Hcy risk. Stricturing/penetrating phenotypes showed lower vitamin B12 levels compared to non-stricturing, non-penetrating phenotypes. Additionally, 96% of patients with structuring/penetrating disease were at high Hcy risk, while 30% of patients with non-stricturing, non-penetrating disease were in the lowest risk category. Conclusions The data suggest that folate and B12 levels could be markers for clinical characteristics and associated metabolic risk in patients with CD. Our study highlighted associations that may justify the importance of nutritional follow-up and biochemical assessments in the clinical routine of patients with CD.
Sex-Dependent Variations in Hypothalamic Fatty Acid Profile and Neuropeptides in Offspring Exposed to Maternal Obesity and High-Fat Diet Mayara da Nóbrega Baqueiro, Laís Angélica de Paula Simino, João Paulo Costa, Carolina Panzarin, Andressa Reginato, et al. Nutrients, 2024 Maternal obesity and/or high-fat diet (HF) consumption can disrupt appetite regulation in their offspring, contributing to transgenerational obesity and metabolic diseases. As fatty acids (FAs) play a role in appetite regulation, we investigated the maternal and fetal levels of FAs as potential contributors to programmed hyperphagia observed in the offspring of obese dams. Female mice were fed either a control diet (CT) or HF prior to mating, and fetal and maternal blood and tissues were collected at 19 days of gestation. Elevated levels of linoleic acid were observed in the serum of HF dams as well as in the serum of their fetuses. An increased concentration of eicosadienoic acid was also detected in the hypothalamus of female HF-O fetuses. HF-O male fetuses showed increased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (Npy) gene expression, while HF-O female fetuses showed decreased hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) protein content. Both male and female fetuses exhibited reduced hypothalamic neurogenin 3 (NGN-3) gene expression. In vitro experiments confirmed that LA contributed to the decreased gene expression of Pomc and Ngn-3 in neuronal cells. During lactation, HF female offspring consumed more milk and had a higher body weight compared to CT. In summary, this study demonstrated that exposure to HF prior to and during gestation alters the FA composition in maternal serum and fetal serum and hypothalamus, particularly increasing n-6, which may play a role in the switch from POMC to NPY neurons, leading to increased weight gain in the offspring during lactation.
