Antitumoral activity induced by peptides from transcription factor Brn-2 in murine and human melanoma

• Grant number: 15/05980-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Cytology and Cell Biology
• Principal Investigator: Denise Costa Arruda
• Grantee: Denise Costa Arruda
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Acadêmica. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Campus da Sede Mogi das Cruzes. Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Dayane Batista Tada ; Luiz Rodolpho Raja Gabaglia Travassos ; Renato Arruda Mortara

Abstract

The transcription factor Brn-2 (POU3F2 / N-Oct-3) is involved to the normal development of melanocytic lineage, however, when overexpressed it can reactivate signals to an abnormal growth as in melanoma. Moreover, several studies showed that Brn-2 expression is regulated by three major signaling pathways in melanoma, the Wnt/-catenin, MAPK/BRAF and PI3K /Akt pathways.Brn-2 can regulate the levels of MITF, further suppressing the phenotype of melanocytic differentiation and promoting tumor metastasis. Melanoma cells with lower levels of MITF are more invasive, clearly implying Brn-2 in melanoma tumorigenicity and metastasis. However, Brn-2 can also activate the MITF promoter as result of BRAF constitutive activation. Brn-2 is also a T-cadherin and PDE5A suppressor. PDE5A suppression leads to an increase of intracellular Ca2+, stimulating invasion. Furthermore, Brn-2 has been implicated in the regulation of NOTCH pathway, another pathway related to melanoma progression.Thus, we propose in this work that specific inhibitors of Brn-2 could interfere with melanoma growth and the mechanisms of invasion. Peptides from Brn-2 could have different inhibitory effects on the development of melanoma, including competition with the binding site in transcription factor Brn-2 DNA. The effects of these peptides could be related to migration and invasion inhibition, changes in cell cycle and many other processes including apoptosis, autophagy and necroptosis. These peptides will be tested in melanoma cell lines targeting cytotoxic effects that can be helpful to the development of promising anticancer drugs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

DE OLIVEIRA, THAIS DOLZANY; TRAVASSOS, LUIZ R.; ARRUDA, DENISE COSTA; TADA, DAYANE BATISTA. Intracellular Targeting of Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Nanoparticles by Surface Functionalization with Peptides. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY, v. 17, n. 7, p. 1320-1329, JUL 2021. (11/23895-8, 15/05980-9, 17/01697-6, 18/11972-7, 10/51423-0)

ARRUDA, DENISE COSTA; DE OLIVEIRA, THAIS DOLZANY; FUKUDA CURSINO, PATRICIA HARUME; CARNEIRO MAIA, VERA SUSANA; BERZAGHI, RODRIGO; TRAVASSOS, LUIZ R.; TADA, DAYANE BATISTA. Inhibition of melanoma metastasis by dual-peptlde PLGA NPS. Biopolymers, v. 108, n. 5, SEP 2017. (11/23895-8, 15/05980-9, 10/51423-0)

DA CUNHA, FERNANDA F. M.; MUGNOL, KATIA C. U.; DE MELO, FILIPE M.; NASCIMENTO, MARTA V. S. Q.; DE AZEVEDO, RICARDO A.; SANTOS, RAQUEL T. S.; MAGALHAES, JESSICA A.; MIGUEL, DANILO C.; TADA, DAYANE B.; MORTARA, RENATO A.; et al. Peptide R18H from BRN2 Transcription Factor POU Domain Displays Antitumor Activity In Vitro and In Vivo and Induces Apoptosis in B16F10-Nex2 Cells. ANTI-CANCER AGENTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, v. 19, n. 3, p. 389-401, 2019. (15/05980-9, 14/21129-4)