Production, modification and characterization of animal toxins with potential biotechnological application

• Grant number: 19/10173-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Eliane Candiani Arantes Braga
• Grantee: Eliane Candiani Arantes Braga
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Ribeirão Preto
• Associated researchers: Iara Aimê Cardoso ; Karla de Castro Figueiredo Bordon

Abstract

Animal venoms and poisons constitute a rich source of substances with wide-ranging pharmacological activities. The bioprospecting of molecules from animal poisons and venoms combined with the use of biotechnological tools, such as the heterologous expression of toxins and the bioconjugation with polyethylene glycols (PEGs), allows the application of toxins in the development of new therapeutic strategies with better pharmacokinetic behavior and lower immunogenicity. In addition, the study of animal toxins helps to better understand the mechanism of toxicity of these molecules during the envenoming, enabling the development of more effective therapies and antivenoms. In this context, this proposal aims the bioprospecting of molecules from venoms from snakes Crotalus durissus terrificus and Crotalus durissus collilineatus and scorpion Tityus serrulatus with potential biotechnological application. Priority will be given to studies of serine proteases, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), phospholipase A2 inhibitors (PLI), phosphodiesterases (PDE) and neurotoxins that act on voltage-gated sodium or potassium channels, using modern approaches of heterologous production, PEGylation and structural and functional characterization. These studies of components from different animal venoms aim to explore the therapeutic potential of toxins for the development of new drugs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARTINS, JONAS GAMA; SANTOS, GABRIELLE CRISTINA; DE LIMA PROCOPIO, RUDI EMERSON; ARANTES, ELIANE CANDIANI; FIGUEIREDO BORDON, KARLA DE CASTRO. Scorpion species of medical importance in the Brazilian Amazon: a review to identify knowledge gaps. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, v. 27, SEP 20 2021. (19/10173-6, 19/27544-7)

FIGUEIREDO BORDON, KARLA DE CASTRO; COLOGNA, CAMILA TAKENO; FORNARI-BALDO, ELISA CORREA; PINHEIRO-JUNIOR, ERNESTO LOPES; CERNI, FELIPE AUGUSTO; AMORIM, FERNANDA GOBBI; PINO ANJOLETTE, FERNANDO ANTONIO; CORDEIRO, FRANCIELLE ALMEIDA; WIEZEL, GISELE ADRIANO; CARDOSO, IARA AIME; et al. From Animal Poisons and Venoms to Medicines: Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery. FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY, v. 11, JUL 24 2020. (17/14035-1, 17/00586-6, 18/14158-9, 19/10173-6, 18/21233-7, 17/04724-4, 13/26619-7, 16/04761-4, 17/03580-9, 13/26200-6)

CERNI, FELIPE; OLIVEIRA, ISADORA; CORDEIRO, FRANCIELLE; BORDON, KARLA; FERREIRA, ISABELA; MONTEIRO, WUELTON; ARANTES, ELIANE; CUNHA, THIAGO; PUCCA, MANUELA. The nociceptive response induced by different classes of Tityus serrulatus neurotoxins: The important role of Ts5 in venom-induced nociception. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 17, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2023-01-01. (20/13176-3, 19/10173-6, 13/08216-2)

DE OLIVEIRA, ISADORA SOUSA; PUCCA, MANUELA BERTO; WIEZEL, GISELE ADRIANO; CARDOSO, IARA AIME; FIGUEIREDO BORDON, KARLA DE CASTRO; SARTIM, MARCO AURELIO; KALOGEROPOULOS, KONSTANTINOS; AHMADI, SHIRIN; BAIWIR, DOMINIQUE; NONATO, MARIA CRISTINA; et al. Unraveling the structure and function of CdcPDE: A novel phosphodiesterase from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake venom. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 178, p. 180-192, MAY 1 2021. (17/00586-6, 17/03580-9, 19/10173-6, 11/23236-4, 18/21233-7)

FERREIRA, ISABELA; OLIVEIRA, ISADORA; BORDON, KARLA; REIS, MOUZARLLEM; WIEZEL, GISELE; SANCHEZ, CAROLINE; SANTOS, LUISA; SANTOS-FILHO, NORIVAL; PUCCA, MANUELA; ANTUNES, LUSANIA; et al. Beyond Angiogenesis: The Multitasking Approach of the First PEGylated Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (CdtVEGF) from Brazilian Rattlesnake Venom. TOXINS, v. 15, n. 8, p. 21-pg., 2023-08-01. (20/13176-3, 21/11936-3, 17/00586-6, 19/10173-6)

OLIVEIRA, ISADORA; COSTA, VICTOR; VERAS, FLAVIO; FERREIRA, ISABELA; CUNHA, FERNANDO; CUNHA, THIAGO; MONTEIRO, WUELTON; ARANTES, ELIANE; PUCCA, MANUELA. A Promising Biomolecule Able to Degrade Neutrophil Extracellular Traps: CdcPDE, a Rattlesnake Phosphodiesterase. TOXINS, v. 15, n. 1, p. 5-pg., 2023-01-01. (20/13176-3, 19/10173-6, 13/08216-2)

DE OLIVEIRA NEVES, VIVIANO GOMES; DE MELLO, MARCELA M. BLASCKE; RODRIGUES, DANIEL; PERNOMIAN, LAENA; DE OLIVEIRA, ISADORA SOUSA; PARENTE, JULIANA M.; ARANTES, ELIANE CANDIANI; TOSTES, RITA C.; CASTRO, MICHELE M.. Type I collagen proteolysis by matrix metalloproteinase-2 contributes to focal adhesion kinase activation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in the aorta in early hypertension. VASCULAR PHARMACOLOGY, v. 152, p. 9-pg., 2023-10-01. (19/10173-6, 20/13176-3, 19/09174-8)

ABREU, CAIO B.; BORDON, KARLA C. F.; CERNI, FELIPE A.; OLIVEIRA, ISADORA S.; BALENZUELA, CARLA; ALEXANDRE-SILVA, GABRIEL M.; ZOCCAL, KARINA F.; REIS, MOUZARLLEM B.; WIEZEL, GISELE A.; PEIGNEUR, STEVE; et al. Pioneering Study onRhopalurus crassicaudaScorpion Venom: Isolation and Characterization of the Major Toxin and Hyaluronidase. FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, v. 11, AUG 20 2020. (17/00586-6, 16/04761-4, 17/04724-4, 17/03580-9, 19/10173-6, 17/14035-1, 18/21233-7)

FERREIRA, ISABELA GOBBO; PUCCA, MANUELA BERTO; CARDOSO, IARA AIME; FIGUEIREDO BORDON, KARLA DE CASTRO; WIEZEL, GISELE ADRIANO; AMORIM, FERNANDA GOBBI; RODRIGUES, RENATA SANTOS; RODRIGUES, VERIDIANA DE MELO; DE CAMPOS BRITES, VERA LUCIA; ROSA, JOSE CESAR; et al. Insights into structure and function of CdcVEGFs, the vascular endothelial growth factor from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake venom. Biochimie, v. 200, p. 11-pg., 2022-09-01. (11/23236-4, 17/00586-6, 19/10173-6)

OLIVEIRA, ISADORA; FERREIRA, ISABELA; JACOB, BEATRIZ; CARDENAS, KIARA; CERNI, FELIPE; BAIA-DA-SILVA, DJANE; ARANTES, ELIANE; MONTEIRO, WUELTON; PUCCA, MANUELA. Harnessing the Power of Venomous Animal-Derived Toxins against COVID-19. TOXINS, v. 15, n. 2, p. 12-pg., 2023-02-01. (20/13176-3, 21/11936-3, 19/10173-6)

ISADORA SOUSA DE OLIVEIRA; NICOLY MALACHIZE ALANO-DA-SILVA; ISABELA GOBBO FERREIRA; FELIPE AUGUSTO CERNI; JACQUELINE DE ALMEIDA GONÇALVES SACHETT; WUELTON MARCELO MONTEIRO; MANUELA BERTO PUCCA; ELIANE CANDIANI ARANTES. Understanding the complexity of Tityus serrulatus venom: A focus on high molecular weight components. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, v. 30, 2024-01-22. (22/08964-8, 20/13176-3, 21/11547-7, 21/11936-3, 19/10173-6)

GABRIELA DE OLIVEIRA ALMEIDA; ISADORA SOUSA DE OLIVEIRA; ELIANE CANDIANI ARANTES; SUELY VILELA SAMPAIO. Snake venom disintegrins update: insights about new findings. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, v. 29, 2023-09-18. (22/05554-3, 22/08964-8, 20/13176-3, 19/10173-6, 20/15670-5, 21/11936-3, 22/04804-6)

CAROLINA PETRI BERNARDES; ERNESTO LOPES PINHEIRO JUNIOR; ISABELA GOBBO FERREIRA; ISADORA SOUSA DE OLIVEIRA; NEIFE APARECIDA GUINAIM DOS SANTOS; SUELY VILELA SAMPAIO; ELIANE CANDIANI ARANTES; ANTONIO CARDOZO DOS SANTOS. Fraction of C. d. collilineatus venom containing crotapotin protects PC12 cells against MPP + toxicity by activating the NGF-signaling pathway. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, v. 30, 2024-06-14. (19/10173-6, 11/23236-4, 20/13176-3)