In vitro and in vivo study of the anticancer activity of flavonoids and biotransformed flavonoids

• Grant number: 16/02345-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - General Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Giovanna Barbarini Longato
• Grantee: Yollanda Edwirges Moreira Franco
• Host Institution: Universidade São Francisco (USF). Campus Bragança Paulista. Bragança Paulista , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in developing countries. It is characterized by the development of unstable cells that tend to not respond to internal and external stimuli that control the proliferation, differentiation and cell death. The increasing understanding of tumor biology has provided molecular targets for screening chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents, usually from natural sources or synthesized based on natural products, having higher therapeutic efficacy and lower toxicity for the tumors treatment. This project aims to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of two flavonoids isolated from Arrabidaea brachypoda, as well as the structural modification of these compounds, by means of enzymatic reactions that can lead to increased solubility, lipophilicity and consequently improve their biological properties. Initially, compounds will be evaluated for their potential antiproliferative activity in cultured human tumor cells. Later, they will be assessed for their ability to prevent cell invasion and colony formation. The most promising compounds will be targeted for in vivo testing (Ehrlich solid tumor) and their mechanism of action will be evaluated by flow cytometry, a key technique to research the cell death process. Flavonoids have been widely studied because of its variety of promising biological properties, among them, the antitumor. However, there are no reports about the antitumor activity of the compounds mentioned above, making the research original in this field. The approaches described here are fundamental to identify potential antitumor compounds, candidates for future clinical trials for the development of a new anticancer drug originated from the Brazilian biodiversity. (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)

FRANCO, YOLLANDA E. M.; DE LIMA, CAROLINA A.; ROSA, MARCELA N.; SILVA, VIVIANE A. O.; REIS, RUI M.; PRIOLLI, DENISE G.; CARVALHO, PATRICIA O.; DO NASCIMENTO, JESSYANE R.; DA ROCHA, CLAUDIA Q.; LONGATO, GIOVANNA B.. Investigation of U-251 cell death triggered by flavonoid luteolin: towards a better understanding on its anticancer property against glioblastomas. NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH, FEB 2020. (16/02345-3, 16/06137-6)

FRANCO, YOLLANDA E. M.; DE LIMA, CAROLINA A.; ROSA, MARCELA N.; SILVA, VIVIANE A. O.; REIS, RUI M.; PRIOLLI, DENISE G.; CARVALHO, PATRICIA O.; DO NASCIMENTO, JESSYANE R.; DA ROCHA, CLAUDIA Q.; LONGATO, GIOVANNA B.. Investigation of U-251 cell death triggered by flavonoid luteolin: towards a better understanding on its anticancer property against glioblastomas. NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH, v. 35, n. 22, p. 7-pg., 2020-02-20. (16/06137-6, 16/02345-3)