Characterization of antitumor potential from natural compounds and derivatives in commercial lines, primary and brain tumor stem cells

• Grant number: 14/15271-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Rui Manuel Vieira Reis
• Grantee: Tatiane Honda Morais
• Host Institution: Hospital do Câncer de Barretos. Fundação Pio XII (FP). Barretos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiform is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor. Recent studies have demonstrated the central role of cancer stem cells (CSC) in the genesis of glioblastoma, suggesting that this subpopulation is highly resistant to conventional therapies, one of the factors responsible of the poor prognosis these tumors. Thus, therapies directed against the cancer stem cells are fundamental to change this scenario. The use of new anticancer agents from natural origin has proved highly effective and offers a wide field for scientific research. Natural compounds have been used in popular medicine in many countries, including Brazil for the treatment of many diseases. Recent studies showed the anticancer potential of much extracts of these plants. Taken together, we proposed characterize the effect of natural compounds in commercial tumor cell lines, primary glioblastoma and cancer stem cell subpopulation. These approaches are essential to characterize the anticancer effect of these compounds as potential candidates for future clinical trials and the development of new drugs from Brazilian biodiversity. (AU)