Development of metallodrugs and delivery systems for topical treatment of skin and soft tissue infections, and skin cancer

• Grant number: 25/01902-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Wilton Rogério Lustri
• Grantee: Wilton Rogério Lustri
• Host Institution: Universidade de Araraquara (UNIARA). Associação São Bento de Ensino. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adriano Marques Gonçalves ; Flávia Aparecida Resende Nogueira ; Pedro Paulo Corbi ; Silmara Cristina Lazarini

Abstract

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), surgical wound infections (SFI) and diabetic foot ulcer infections (DUP), caused by bacterial pathogens resistant to currently available antimicrobial drugs, are one of the main causes of morbidity worldwide, involving a wide range of etiological agents and multiple pathogenetic mechanisms, and may also be mono or polymicrobial. Furthermore, the skin is an organ prone to the development of cancer, such as melanoma, a relatively common aggressive form, which can progress to a metastatic stage and be susceptible to bacterial infections, which can aggravate the complexity of carcinogenesis and increase the risk of patient mortality. Recent research on the development of antibacterial and antitumor drug delivery systems, particularly polymeric ones, highlights the importance of studies in this area. The challenges of this research are the search for new metallodrug with antibacterial activity, and with antitumor activity, for incorporation into bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes, associated with creams based on water/oil (CAO) and oil/water based (COA) for use as supports for the sustained release of these metallodrug incorporated into CB membranes, subjected to chemical modifications, and to carry out biological studies of antibacterial and antitumor activity in vitro, aiming the determination of the cytotoxic, mutagenic and antiproliferative, as well as studies of possible molecular mechanisms of action, in vitro and by molecular docking, interaction with proteins and DNA, and assessment and skin permeation tests in Franz cells, and in vivo, using a Balb/c mouse model for safety analysis, aiming to increase the therapeutic arsenal in the topical treatment of UPD, IPTM, IFC and skin cancer, both for humans and animals, which is currently scarce. (AU)