Therapeutic potential of analogous synthetic flavonoid compound on HCV replication cycle

• Grant number: 14/22199-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2015
• End date: June 02, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Paula Rahal
• Grantee: Bruno Moreira Carneiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated that approximately 2.2% of world population are chronically infected with HCV. Until this moment there is no vaccine available and the conventional treatment with peg-IFN and ribavirin have low efficacy and severe side effects. Therefore, the search for new therapies is needed. Flavonoids are a group of plant pigments and are widespread in fruits, vegetables, nuts and beverages. Recently some of these compounds demonstrated a relevant antiviral potential. However, the utilization of these natural compounds therapeutically is limited by its availability and purity. Because of this, the study has the objective to identify synthetic flavonoids with antiviral activity against HCV. These substances will be synthesized in collaboration with the Green and Medicinal Chemistry Lab (IBILCE/UNESP). After the production, the drugs will be initially tested for their cytotoxicity and non-toxic concentrations will be tested for the inhibition of different steps of HCV replication cycle. In order to test the inhibition of virus RNA replication a HCV subgenomic system will be utilized. To check the inhibition of viral entry on host cell we will use pseudo-HCV particles (HCVpp) and finally to test if the drug reduces the maturation and release of HCV particles, a full-length cell culture produced (HCVcc) virus particles will be used. In this study we expect to identify at least one drug with some anti-HCV activity and in future these drugs may be used in the therapy of chronic HCV infected patients. (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)

CARNEIRO, BRUNO M.; BATISTA, MARIANA N.; BRAGA, ANA CLAUDIA S.; NOGUEIRA, MAURICIO L.; RAHAL, PAULA. The green tea molecule EGCG inhibits Zika virus entry. VIROLOGY, v. 496, p. 215-218, SEP 2016. (14/22199-6, 14/22198-0, 13/21719-3)