Polymersomes decorated with transferrin and evaluation of their stability and drug release behavior

• Grant number: 19/08549-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: February 28, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: André Moreni Lopes
• Grantee: Mayra Caroline Cunha Câmara
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/10789-1 - Combinatorial therapy using polymersomes decorated with transferrin and incorporated into chitosan hydrogels as smart drug delivery systems for melanoma tumor cells, AP.JP

Abstract

The combinatorial approach of drugs (co-therapy) has been widely used in cancer therapy. Recent clinical studies have shown that treatments that combine free drugs may increase tumor regression rates compared to individual administration. However, a relevant aspect to be considered is related to the dose-dependent toxicity of the co-therapeutic administration of drugs. Moreover, this obstacle can be overcome by using the co-encapsulation of drugs in nanostructures (NEs). In this case, polymersomes (Ps) can provide the co-encapsulation of drugs (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) and provide not only decrease of the chances of cellular resistance to any of the drugs but also possible side effects. Although promising results are achieved using this approach, some limitations may occur primarily because of the low specificity of NEs to tumor cells, resulting in delivery in areas distant from the target site (with low therapeutic effect). On the other hand, drug delivery to target cells can be improved by employing site-directed delivery strategies. Human serum transferrin (Tf) has been employed in the decoration of NEs as a powerful targeting agent for tumor cells, since the transferrin receptor (TfR) is overexpressed in different types of tumor cells, including melanoma, glioblastoma, breast carcinoma, among others. In this context, the objective of this project will be to investigate the conjugation of Tf to Ps (Ps-Tf), as well as to study the stability and behavior of drug release (individually and simultaneously) in vitro from Ps-Tf, as well as to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of the Ps decorated with Tf.

Scientific publications

(7)

(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)

D'ANGELO, NATALIA A.; NORONHA, MARIANA A.; CAMARA, MAYRA C. C.; KURNIK, ISABELLE S.; FENG, CHUYING; ARAUJO, VICTOR H. S.; SANTOS, JOAO H. P. M.; FEITOSA, VALKER; V.D. MOLINO, JOAO; RANGEL-YAGUI, CARLOTA O.; et al. Doxorubicin nanoformulations on therapy against cancer: An overview from the last 10 years. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES, v. 133, p. 23-pg., 2022-02-01. (18/10799-0, 18/25994-2, 17/10789-1, 20/03727-2, 19/08549-8)

D'ANGELO, NATALIA A.; NORONHA, MARIANA A.; KURNIK, ISABELLE S.; CAMARA, MAYRA C. C.; VIEIRA, JORGE M.; ABRUNHOSA, LUIS; MARTINS, JOANA T.; ALVES, THAIS F. R.; TUNDISI, LOUISE L.; ATAIDE, JANAINA A.; et al. Curcumin encapsulation in nanostructures for cancer therapy: A 10-year overview. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, v. 604, JUL 15 2021. (18/10799-0, 18/07707-6, 18/06475-4, 17/10789-1, 19/08549-8, 20/03727-2)

D'ANGELO, NATALIA A.; CAMARA, MAYRA C. C.; NORONHA, MARIANA A.; GROTTO, DENISE; CHORILLI, MARLUS; LOURENCO, FELIPE R.; RANGEL-YAGUI, CARLOTA DE O.; LOPES, ANDRE M.. evelopment of PEG-PCL-based polymersomes through design of experiments for co-encapsulation of vemurafenib and doxorubicin as chemotherapeutic drug. JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS, v. 349, MAR 1 2022. (17/10789-1, 18/10799-0, 20/03727-2, 19/08549-8)

KURNIK, ISABELLE S.; MUSSAGY, CASSAMO U.; PEREIRA, JORGE F. B.; LOPES, ANDRE M.. Amphiphilic copolymer aqueous solutions with cholinium ionic liquids as adjuvants: New insights into determination of binodal curves and phase-separation mechanisms. JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS, v. 318, NOV 15 2020. (14/16424-7, 18/05111-9, 19/05624-9, 17/10789-1, 18/10799-0, 19/08549-8)

KURNIK, ISABELLE S.; NORONHA, MARIANA A.; CAMARA, MAYRA C. C.; MAZZOLA, PRISCILA G.; VICENTE, ANTONIO A.; PEREIRA, JORGE F. B.; LOPES, ANDRE M.. Separation and purification of curcumin using novel aqueous two-phase micellar systems composed of amphiphilic copolymer and cholinium ionic liquids. Separation and Purification Technology, v. 250, NOV 1 2020. (14/16424-7, 17/10789-1, 19/05624-9, 18/05111-9, 19/08549-8, 18/10799-0)

KURNIK, ISABELLE S.; D'ANGELO, NATALIA A.; MAZZOLA, PRISCILA G.; CHORILLI, MARLUS; KAMEI, DANIEL T.; PEREIRA, JORGE F. B.; VICENTE, ANTONIO A.; LOPES, ANDRE M.. Polymeric micelles using cholinium-based ionic liquids for the encapsulation and release of hydrophobic drug molecules. BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE, v. 9, n. 6, p. 2183-2196, MAR 21 2021. (18/10799-0, 20/03727-2, 14/16424-7, 18/05111-9, 19/05624-9, 17/10789-1, 19/08549-8)

DE CASTRO, KARINE CAPPUCCIO; COCO, JULIA CEDRAN; DOS SANTOS, ERICA MENDES; ATAIDE, JANAINA ARTEM; MARTINEZ, RENATA MILIANI; MONTEIRO DO NASCIMENTO, MONICA HELENA; PRATA, JOAO; LOPES DA FONTE, PEDRO RICARDO MARTINS; SEVERINO, PATRICIA; MAZZOLA, PRISCILA GAVA; et al. Pluronic (R) triblock copolymer-based nanoformulations for cancer therapy: A 10-year overview. JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE, v. 353, p. 21-pg., 2022-12-17. (18/10799-0, 20/03727-2, 21/00319-3, 19/20303-4, 20/11333-4, 18/06475-4, 19/16169-0, 18/07707-6, 17/10789-1, 19/08549-8)