Biologically active peptides against pathogenic microorganisms and cancer cells

• Grant number: 17/03046-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Vani Xavier de Oliveira Junior
• Grantee: Vani Xavier de Oliveira Junior
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (PAMs) are biomolecules with less than 100 amino acid residues that play an important role in the immune response of various microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses, as well as being potential anticancer agents. Thus, it is very important searching new bioactive compounds. The present project proposes the synthesis of new AMPs, analogues of VmCT1 and Polybia-CP and of hybrid sequences of these with the AMPs (Protonectin, Anoplin, Decoralin, Temporin A, CM-15, Cecropin A (1-13) and Melittin), in the attempt to increase the antimicrobial and antitumoral activities of these substances, without presenting relevant hemolytic activity. Analogs will be synthesized by solid phase method, purified by HPLC and characterized by LC/ESI-MS. Biological assays will be performed on several strains of bacteria and fungi, and some cancer cells to verify the antimicrobial and anticancer activities, respectively. Conformational studies will be performed by Circular Dichroism (CD) and probably by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). (AU)

Scientific publications

(10)

(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)

PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; ARAUJO, IRIS; DA SILVA JUNIOR, PEDRO ISMAEL; DA SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; TOROSSIAN TORRES, MARCELO DER; OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, VANI XAVIER. Repurposing the scorpion venom peptide VmCT1 into an active peptide against Gram-negative ESKAPE pathogens. BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY, v. 90, n. SI, SEP 2019. (14/04507-5, 17/03046-2)

CHICA ACEVEDO, ISABEL CRISTINA; SILVA, JR., PEDRO ISMAEL; SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; ARAUJO, IRIS; ALVES, FLAVIO LOPES; OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; OLIVEIRA, JR., VANI XAVIER. IsCT-based analogs intending better biological activity. JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, OCT 2019. (17/03046-2, 14/12938-6)

PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; DE OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; DA SILVA, ADRIANA FARIAS; ANDRADE, GISLAINE PATRICIA; DA SILVA PINHAL, MARIA APARECIDA; CERCHIARO, GISELLE; DA SILVA JUNIOR, PEDRO ISMAEL; DA SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; TORRESD, MARCELO DER TOROSSIAN; OLIVEIRA, VANI XAVIER. The effect of lysine substitutions in the biological activities of the scorpion venom peptide VmCT1. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, v. 136, AUG 1 2019. (14/04507-5, 17/03046-2)

OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; TORRES, MARCELO DER TOROSSIAN; PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; ANDRADE, VIVIANE BRITO; SILVA JR, PEDRO ISMAEL; SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; DE LA FUENTE-NUNEZ, CESAR; OLIVEIRA JR, VANI XAVIER. Synthetic Peptide Derived from Scorpion Venom Displays Minimal Toxicity and Anti-infective Activity in an Animal Model. ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v. 7, n. 9, p. 2736-2745, SEP 10 2021. (17/03046-2)

PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; SILVA, ADRIANA FARIAS; TORRES, MARCELO DER TOROSSIAN; DE OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; ANDRADE, GISLAINE PATRICIA; CERCHIARO, GISELLE; PINHAL, MARIA APARECIDA SILVA; DE LA FUENTE-NUNEZ, CESAR; OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, VANI XAVIER. Net charge tuning modulates the antiplasmodial and anticancer properties of peptides derived from scorpion venom. JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, v. 27, n. 4, JAN 2021. (17/03046-2)

FREIRE, KATIELLE ALBUQUERQUE; TORRES, MARCELO DER TOROSSIAN; LIMA, DANYA BANDEIRA; MONTEIRO, MARILIA LOPES; PESSOA BEZERRA DE MENEZES, RAMON ROSEO PAULA; COSTA MARTINS, ALICE MARIA; OLIVEIRA JR, VANI XAVIER. Wasp venom peptide as a new antichagasic agent. Toxicon, v. 181, p. 71-78, JUL 15 2020. (14/04507-5, 17/03046-2)

MONTEIRO, MARILIA LOPES; LIMA, DANYA BANDEIRA; FREIRE, KATIELLE ALBUQUERQUE; PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; MAGALHAES, EMANUEL PAULA; SILVA, BRENNA PINHEIRO; BELEN GARCIA-JARENO, ALICIA; DE OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; SERRA NUNES, JOAO VICTOR; MARINHO, MARCIA MACHADO; et al. Rational design of a trypanocidal peptide derived from Dinoponera quadriceps venom. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, v. 241, p. 9-pg., 2022-11-05. (17/03046-2)

CHICA ACEVEDO, ISABEL CRISTINA; SILVA, PEDRO ISMAEL, JR.; SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; ARAUJO, IRIS; ALVES, FLAVIO LOPES; OLIVEIRA, CYNTIA SILVA; OLIVEIRA, VANI XAVIER, JR.. IsCT-based analogs intending better biological activity. JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, v. 25, n. 12, p. 10-pg., 2019-10-22. (14/12938-6, 17/03046-2)

PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; FREIRE, KATIELLE ALBUQUERQUE; TORRES, MARCELO DER TOROSSIAN; LIMA, DANYA BANDEIRA; MONTEIRO, MARILIA LOPES; PESSOA BEZERRA DE MENEZES, RAMON ROSEO PAULA; COSTA MARTINS, ALICE MARIA; OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, VANI XAVIER. Arg-substituted VmCT1 analogs reveals promising candidate for the development of new antichagasic agent. Parasitology, v. 147, n. 14, p. 1810-1818, DEC 2020. (17/03046-2)

PEDRON, CIBELE NICOLASKI; ARAUJO, IRIS; DA SILVA JUNIOR, PEDRO ISMAEL; DA SILVA, FERNANDA DIAS; TOROSSIAN TORRES, MARCELO DER; OLIVEIRA JUNIOR, VANI XAVIER. Repurposing the scorpion venom peptide VmCT1 into an active peptide against Gram-negative ESKAPE pathogens. BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY, v. 90, p. 9-pg., 2019-09-01. (14/04507-5, 17/03046-2)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project