Analysis of cysteine protease activity in Trypanosoma Cruzi and Leishmania spp

• Grant number: 15/22133-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology
• Principal Investigator: Andrei Leitão
• Grantee: Fernanda Lenita Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/18009-4 - Molecular design, synthesis and trypanocidal activity of cruzain reversible covalent inhibitors, AP.TEM

Abstract

The research of novel bioactive substances is directly linked to its mechanism of action. In vitro studies are of great importance to determine the mode of action and cell-based assays are cornerstone to this outcome. Here the analysis of cysteine protease inhibition by means of a fluorescent chemical probe is going to be proposed to observe whether there will be fluorescence reduction. This ultimately is going to be used to validate compounds from the NEQUIMED group as cysteine protease inhibitors. These results are a key to evaluate the current hypothesis of the use of cysteine protease inhibitors as antiparasitic compounds targeting cruzain (Trypanosoma cruzi) and CPB (Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania chagasis).