| Grant number: | 11/05969-4 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct) |
| Effective date (Start): | September 01, 2011 |
| Effective date (End): | April 30, 2015 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology |
| Principal Investigator: | Ana Marisa Chudzinski-Tavassi |
| Grantee: | Mario Thiego Fernandes Pacheco |
| Home Institution: | Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract Hematophagous animals are sources of natural anticoagulants, since, for food, they need to keep the blood in their digestive tract. The saliva of the star tick (Amblyomma cajennense) of spotted fever transmitter contains a number of physiologically active molecules that can participate in diverse biological processes such as coagulation and fibrinolysis, immunity, inflammation and angiogenesis. From the construction of a cDNA library from salivary glands of Amblyomma cajennense identified a transcript that encodes a protease inhibitor Kunitz type. The protein isolated and produced in recombinant form, called X-amblyomin have anticoagulant properties similar to endogenous inhibitor TFPI with FXa inhibitory effect factor, prolonging blood clotting. Knowing the relationship between cancer, coagulation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and genetic factor involved in metastasis, it was found that the recombinant protein also has pro-apoptotic effects selective for tumor cells as well as anti-angiogenic activity and regression of tumor mass and metastases in some tumors. Among the activities described focus on the substance, there is its ability to inhibit the proteasome leading to apoptosis. If the capacity of the proteasome is overwhelmed or exhausted, he damaged proteins called aggregates degraded form aggresomes, which are transported by a network of microtubules by motor proteins, especially the dynein. (AU) | |