Investigation of physical methods associated with drug delivery systems in the local immune and antimicrobial response

• Grant number: 22/03521-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Renata Fonseca Vianna Lopez
• Grantee: Renata Fonseca Vianna Lopez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Flavio da Silva Emery
• Associated researchers: Ana Paula Ramos ; Antonio Adilton Oliveira Carneiro ; Camila Nunes Lemos ; Carolina Patrícia Aires Garbellini ; Caroline Tapparel Vu ; Eduardo Melani Rocha ; Eloísa Berbel Manaia ; Gilles Ponchel ; Jayter Silva de Paula ; Jéferson Aparecido Moreto ; Luis Lamberti Pinto da Silva ; Marcelo Dias Baruffi ; Margaret Okonawan Ilomuanya ; Silvya Stuchi Maria-Engler ; Theo Zeferino Pavan
• Associated research grant(s): 25/06184-3 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 22/03521-0: bioimpressora 3D, AP.EMU; 25/06186-6 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 22/03521-0: automated system for topical and transdermal testing in vertical diffusion cells, AP.EMU; 25/06618-3 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 22/03521-0: impactor - Next Generation Impactor (NGI), AP.EMU
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/16717-6 - Impact of Iontophoresis on the Ocular Biodistribution of Polymeric Nanoparticles Conjugated with Hyaluronic Acid, BP.MS; 24/21255-1 - Investigation of the effect of the association of iontophoresis with polymyxin on resistant bacteria., BP.IC; 24/19379-4 - Study of the cytotoxicity of low frequency ultrasound associated with Janus-type mesoporous silicon nanoparticles containing nitric oxide., BP.PD; 24/13057-5 - Development of BODIPY-Based Photosensitizing Nanoparticles for the Photodynamic Therapy of Skin Cance, BP.IC

Abstract

Intelligent drug delivery systems, which release the drug as a function of a specific change in pH or the presence of an enzyme, are increasingly being studied to reduce adverse effects and increase the efficiency of treatments. Activation of this release by physical stimuli, and not only chemical or biological, provides greater control of drug release, which is well documented in the literature. In addition to this release control, the physical stimulus potential to modulate the delivery system absorption and intracellular traffic, the immune response, and the microbiota close to the site of the physical stimulus application need to be better understood and investigated. This project aims to examine the physical, chemical, and biological implications of the association of delivery systems, including nanoparticles, with electrical, sound, light, and magnetic stimuli in the treatment mainly of skin, eye, and lung disorders. Evaluating the interactions among the physical method, the delivery system, the biological environment, and the responses triggered by them is, therefore, the mainline of this proposal. Membranes, matrices, and nanoparticles will be designed depending on the application site characteristics and the treatment condition. The impact of electric current, ultrasound, light, or magnetism on the interactions of the delivery system with the epithelia under study will be evaluated, in vitro and in vivo, as a function of drug release rate, cellular uptake, intracellular traffic, specific interactions with the target tissue, stimulation of the immune response and local antimicrobial activity. These studies are expected to target the release of drugs to specific sites of the studied epithelium after topical application, increase the efficiency of treatments, and understand at the cellular and molecular level the mechanisms involved in the cure of the disorders studied in the face of the applied physical stimulus. Together, the results may contribute to developing more effective treatment strategies. Finally, modulating the release of drugs from the delivery systems and understanding how the physical stimuli in question interact with these systems and with the tissues can help in the development of formulations that are increasingly targeted to the epithelium site to be treated, in the reduction of adverse effects and increased treatment efficacy. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(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)

OLIVEIRA, FILIPE CANTO; ZAMONER, LUIS OTAVIO BUNHOTTO; BARUFFI, MARCELO DIAS; AUGUSTO, BEATRIZ SILVEIRA; VAIDERGORN, MIGUEL DE MENEZES; NONATO, MARIA CRISTINA; BOLOGNA, THAINA SILVA; DA SILVA, MARCOS VINICIUS; CARVALHO, IVONE. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 4-(4-Nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole Derivatives as Antitrypanosomal Agents. ACS OMEGA, v. 10, n. 20, p. 16-pg., 2025-05-13. (22/03521-0, 18/05549-4)

DE MELO, SHAIANI MARIA GIL; DOS SANTOS, THIAGO; SILVA, DANIEL GEDDER; MARTINS, YUGO ARAUJO; ECKHARDT, PAUL; LOPEZ, RENATA FONSECA VIANNA; OPATZ, TILL; PROTTI, STEFANO; DA SILVA EMERY, FLAVIO. Versatile Metal-Free Arylation of BODIPY and Bis(BF₂) Chromophores by Using Arylazosulfones in a Sunflow System. CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, v. 30, n. 61, p. 9-pg., 2024-10-04. (17/22001-0, 22/03521-0, 21/11899-0, 17/21146-4)

GALVAO, GABRIELA FAVERO; MARINGOLO, IZABELLA CRISTINA BERNARDO; MARTINS, YUGO ARAUJO; MUNOZ, JANETTE BEZEBETH VILLARRUEL; FANTUCCI, MARINA ZILIO; DA SILVA, RICARDO ROBERTO; ROCHA, EDUARDO MELANI; MANAIA, ELOISA BERBEL; PONCHEL, GILLES; LOPEZ, RENATA FONSECA VIANNA. Iontophoresis impact on corneal properties using an ex vivo bovine eye model. METHODS, v. 238, p. 10-pg., 2025-06-01. (22/03521-0)

MARTINS, YUGO ARAUJO; GUERRA-GOMES, ISABEL CRISTINA; RODRIGUES, TAMARA SILVA; TAPPAREL, CAROLINE; LOPEZ, RENATA FONSECA VIANNA. Enhancing pulmonary delivery and immunomodulation of respiratory diseases through virus-mimicking nanoparticles. JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE, v. 372, p. 16-pg., 2024-06-25. (22/03521-0, 14/22451-7, 20/07108-5)

CINTRA, BEATRIZ CARNEIRO; MARZOLA, MATEUS MAIA; CARRETTA, REGINA YONEKO DAKUZAKU; OLIVEIRA, FABIOLA REIS; ROCHA, EDUARDO MELANI. Sjogren's disease, occupational performance and quality of life. BRITISH JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, v. N/A, p. 8-pg., 2024-09-30. (14/23211-0, 22/03521-0)

MARTIN, BIANCA APARECIDA; VIEGAS, JULIANA; DALMOLIN, LUCIANA FACCO; SANTOS, EMERSON DE SOUZA; VATANABE, IZABELA PEREIRA; LISBOA, SABRINA FRANCESCA; LOPEZ, RENATA FONSECA VIANNA; SARMENTO, BRUNO. Development of a Sensory Neuron-Integrated Skin Spheroid Model for the Evaluation of Neuropeptide-Based Topical Delivery Systems. ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, v. 11, n. 6, p. 20-pg., 2025-05-23. (22/03521-0, 14/50928-2)

MUNOZ, JANETTE BETZABETH VILLARRUEL; DALMOLIN, LUCIANA FACCO; RAMOS, ANA PAULA; BARUFFI, MARCELO DIAS; LOPEZ, RENATA FONSECA VIANNA. Characterization and biological evaluation of melatonin-loaded silk fibroin-hyaluronic acid films for multifunctional wound dressings. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, v. 681, p. 18-pg., 2025-08-20. (22/03521-0, 14/22451-7)