Investigation of the mechanisms of action of antileishmanial 14e: studies of differentially expressed genes and involvement of mitochondrial membrane potential

• Grant number: 17/23550-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Aparecida Silva Graminha
• Grantee: Daphne Duberger Lopes Teodoro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Parasitic diseases affect a number of people all over the world, especially in underdeveloped countries. Leishmaniasis affects around 2 million people a year, and approximately 350 million people are at risk worldwide. The current drugs used in the treatment of this parasite are not ideal, requiring less toxic and less expensive therapies. The antileishmanial compounds derived from furoxans studied in our laboratory have interesting microbicidal properties, among them the ability to donate nitric oxide (NO), inhibition of parasitic virulence factor cysteine protease. Leishmania has a single mitochondria, which makes it an interesting target for drug action. The objective of this study will be to study antileishmanial 14e (a derivative of furoxan), contributing with information about its potential mechanism of action related to alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, we will validate some proteomic data previously obtained in our laboratory, using the quantitative PCR technique. (AU)