Group of Women’s Health and Pregnancy

Main focus of my group is to study trophoblast physiology and its role in different gestational diseases, such as placenta accreta, gestational trophoblastic diseases, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and arbovirus infection.

Currently, we have three major research lines:

• Zika virus, Chikungunya virus and Dengue virus infection of the placenta, trophoblast and Hofbauer cells signaling, immunological and neurological outcomes.
• The effects of uvaol in healthy and preeclamptic trophoblast cells infected with group B streptococcus.
• Versican functions in trophoblast cells and the implications in placenta accreta.

The laboratory has a total area of 225 m² and has cell culture room full equipped with three biological safety cabinets NS-II and humid CO₂ incubators, microscopy room with inverse and fluorescent microscopes, equipments for cellular and molecular biology (Flow cytometry, PCR, ELISA, cell and tissue immunolocalization), and animal facilities (in vivo system for small animals, anesthesia machine, housing, ventilated rack).

Our group is specialized in cell biology techniques and trophoblast cell and Hofbauer cell isolation from term and preeclamptic placentas, chorionic villi explants, as well as cell lines culture (BeWo, HTR-8SV/neo and others, such as HUVEC). We also can evaluate mice pregnancy and isolate mice decidual and trophoblast cells. Biological techniques include RT-PCR, qPCR,  siRNA, ELISA, flow cytometry,  immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Also we use different in vitro techniques to access cell death, proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, adhesion, inflammation, syncytialization etc.

Fully open to collaborations on ongoing projects and mainly interested in students exchange.

• Decit-MS/CNPq/FAPEAL/SESAU-AL/FAPEAL 06/2016 – PPSUS 07/2018-06/2020
  Coordinator: Alexandre Urban Borbely
  Gestational infection of Zika virus: epidemiology, teratogenesis and maternal-fetal interface implications.
  This grant aim to study Zika virus infection of placentas, cell signaling and immunological and neurological outcomes.
• Regular Grant FAPESP-2016/16807-9 10/2016-03/2019
  Coordinator: Silvia Daher (Borbely AU - collaborator)
  Evaluation of cellular and functional profiles of amniotic membranes from gestational diabetic pregnancies.
  This grant aim to characterize adipokines and cytokines production by amniotic membranes from gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancies.
  Support completed in the last 3 years
• CNPq Universal Research Grant 2016-2018
  Coordinator: Salete Smaniotto (Borbely AU - collaborator)
  Evaluation of cellular and molecular outcomes from the topic aplication of the growth hormone in the skin wound healing.
• CNPq Universal Research Grant 2016-2018
  Coordinator: Olagide Wagner Castro (Borbely AU - collaborator)
  Parental experience to crack smoke inhaling: gestational alterations, susceptibility and patterns of epileptical crisis of the offspring.
• PPG FAPEAL Grant 14/2016 2016-2018
  Coordinator: Elaine Virginia de Souza Figueiredo (Borbely AU - collaborator)
  Identification of Dengue danger signal biomarkers.
• Regular Grant FAPESP-2013/12243-5 2013-2016
  Coordinator: Estela Bevilacqua (Borbely AU - collaborator)
  Biglycan roles in the invasive activity of trophoblast cells.

As a new principal investigator, we are still beginning our publications. Currently we have 10 papers, 65 citations and the H index is 5. Please, find our complete list of published work at (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexandre_Borbely).

Selected key publications

• PIRES, K. S. N. ; SUN, S. Y. ; GONCALVES, C. M. ; SANTOS, J. C. ; SOUZA, L. P. G. ; BOTELHO, R. M. ; SILVA, A. L. M. ; OLIVEIRA, H. G. S. ; RIBEIRO, K. P. T. P. ; DAHER, S. ; BORBELY, K. S. C. ; BORBELY, A. U. Versican silencing in BeWo cells and its implication in gestational trophoblastic diseases. HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY, p. 1-9, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-018-1739-9.
• SANDRI, SILVANA ; URBAN BORBELY, ALEXANDRE ; FERNANDES, ISABELLA ; MENDES DE OLIVEIRA, EDSON ; KNEBEL, FRANCIELE HINTERHOLZ ; RUANO, RODRIGO ; ZUGAIB, MARCELO ; FILIPPIN-MONTEIRO, FABIOLA ; BEVILACQUA, ESTELA ; CAMPA, ANA . Serum Amyloid A in the Placenta and Its Role in Trophoblast Invasion. Plos One, v. 9, p. e90881, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090881
• BORBELY, ALEXANDRE U; SANDRI, SILVANA ; FERNANDES, ISABELLA R ; PRADO, KAREN M ; CARDOSO, ELAINE C ; CORREA-SILVA, SIMONE ; ALBUQUERQUE, RENATA ; KNÖFLER, MARTIN ; BELTRÃO-BRAGA, PATRICIA ; CAMPA, ARIA ; BEVILACQUA, ESTELA . The term basal plate of the human placenta as a source of functional extravillous trophoblast cells. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, v. 12, p. 7, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-12-7
• BORBELY, AU; DAHER, S ; ISHIGAI, MM ; MATTAR, R ; SUN, SY ; KNÖFLER, M ; BEVILACQUA, E ; OLIVEIRA, SF . Decorin and biglycan immunolocalization in nonvillous structures of healthy and pathological human placentas. Histopathology (Oxford. Print), v. 4, p. n/a-n/a, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1111/his.12304
• Borbely, Alexandre U.; Fontenele-Neto, José D. ; Vidsiunas, Alex K. ; Gomes, Sara Z. ; Hoshida, Mara S. ; de Oliveira, Sergio F. ; Bevilacqua, Estela . Ectoplacental Cone Induces Resistance to Apoptosis in High Doses of Interferon (IFN)- -Treated Decidual Cells. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology (1989), v. 67, p. 73-83, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0897.2011.01060.x