Study of Lopap (Lonomia obliqua prothrombin activator protease) and derived peptides activities in the modulation of cell survival.

• Grant number: 10/03516-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2011
• End date: September 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi
• Grantee: Karla de Quequi Roedel
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The lopap, most abundant protein found in the bristles of the Lonomia obliqua caterpillars, was characterized as a serinoprotease prothrombin activator, being able to prolong the clotting time of blood through the depletion of fibrinogen. In studies, it was demonstrated that this protein has similarities to the family of Lipocalin in primary and secondary structure, being considered the only member of this family to possess proteolytic activity. Besides prothrombin activator activity, also shown to have cytoprotective capacity, acting in the modulation of cell survival. After the identification of conserved domains of Lipocalin in the primary sequence of lopap, were obtained synthetic peptides capable of playing its modulatory effects. However, despite proven such activity, are not known the way that lopap promotes it. So, the objective of this work is to study the activity of lopap in the modulation of cellular mechanisms to promote their protection and survival, view their future therapeutic use.