Development of aptamers and G5 PAMAM dendrimers for the in vivo diagnosis of M2 macrophages in tumor microenvironment

• Grant number: 14/20746-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2015
• End date: January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Roger Chammas
• Grantee: Luciana Kovacs dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo Octavio Frias de Oliveira (ICESP). Coordenadoria de Serviços de Saúde (CSS). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/10789-9 - Development of peptides for the in vivo detection of M1 and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Optical imaging is a noninvasive technique, with low cost, that uses visible light and the properties of photons to obtain detailed images of organs and tissues as well as smaller structures including cells and even molecules. It can be employed to disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, optical imaging is favorable to multimodal imaging. It extends over a wide range on the imaging resolutions scale and easily combinable with other imaging techniques. The tumor associated macrophages are the main components of the tumor microenvironment and these cells play a variety of roles, such as promotion, proliferation and survival of malignant cells, angiogenesis, stromal remodeling and metastasis formation. The high M2 macrophages content in the tumor microenvironment is associated with a poor prognosis, increased metastatic potential and shorter survival of patients, suggesting M2 macrophages as a potent diagnosis target. The objective of this study is developed aptamers and G5 PAMAM dendrimers with mannose, both conjugated with specific tracers (technetium-99m and Quantum dots) to diagnostic M2 macrophages in tumor tissue, performing in vitro and in vivo test for future clinical use. These results will aid in the diagnosis of tumor stage, improving patient treatment, resulting in better prognosis and increase survival time. (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)

KOVACS, LUCIANA; CABRAL, PABLO; CHAMMAS, ROGER. Mannose receptor 1 expression does not determine the uptake of high-density mannose dendrimers by activated macrophages populations. PLoS One, v. 15, n. 10, OCT 13 2020. (14/20746-0)