Investigation of the antioxidant activity of EGCG upon leukemia cells

• Grant number: 14/23570-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Sara Teresinha Olalla Saad
• Grantee: Andrana Karla Calgarotto
• Host Institution: Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia (HEMOCENTRO). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/51959-0 - Biology of neoplastic diseases of bone marrow, AP.TEM

Abstract

Despite the attention paid to synthetic products during the last decades by the pharmaceutical industry, currently the need for effective compounds which have less adverse effects has extended the research of alternative therapies, mainly the investigation of derivatives from plants. Previous studies from our group have identified natural compounds, such as Quercetin and Green tea extract, with real potential to reduce cell proliferation and induce death of neoplasic cells. In addition, a clinical study using Green tea, which has been developed in our laboratory, shows stimulation of the immune system in leukemia patients, with an increase in quality of life and survival of these patients. Our results also demonstrated marked reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CD34+ cells. Abnormal levels of ROS are characteristic in leukemia and provide a platform for the development of anti-leukemic drugs. Accordingly, this project aims to investigate the in vitro activity of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the main phenolic compound of green tea, in leukemic cells. To this end, cell lines that produce ROS (MV4-1e MOLM-13) as well as blasts isolated from bone marrow of patients diagnosed for acute myeloid leukemia must be used in this project. These cells will be maintained in the presence of EGCG and the molecular mechanisms involved in their antioxidant activity will be evaluated.