Development and characterization of ferritin nanoparticles for DNA vaccine delivery

• Grant number: 19/25548-5
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal researcher: Fabiana Testa Moura de Carvalho Vicentini
• Grantee: Natália Floriano Paiva
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The proposed use of ferritin nanoparticles as a basis for antigen release systems is based on a number of natural characteristics of this protein, which make its use as a nanostructured release system for the delivery of different types of molecules extremely promising. It is worth mentioning: (1) it is a biological nanoparticle ready to be used; (2) have thermal stability (withstanding temperatures up to 80-100 ° C) and pH stability (pH 3-10), monodispersity, small uniform size, biocompatibility, biodegradability and low cost for large scale production; (3) exhibit a natural ability to encapsulate a number of molecules due to the presence of highly stable compartments capable of disorganizing and reconstituting the natural form; (4) be extremely versatile and responsive to both chemical and genetic modifications that can be used to incorporate therapeutic molecules; and finally (5) because it can undergo modifications capable of making it more modular and responsive to certain stimuli (BELLINI et al., 2014; HE; MARLES-WRIGHT, 2015; TRUFFI et al., 2016; KHOSHNEJAD et al., 2018). These characteristics support the research proposed by the present project, which is to obtain and characterize ferritin nanoparticles for the delivery of a DNA vaccine to be employed as an immunotherapeutic strategy for use in melanoma treatment. The development of this project involves the initial stage of the project entitled "Use of ferritin nanoparticles as a basis for the development of antitumor vaccine release systems" (FAPESP Process No. 2019 / 08891-8) under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Fabiana T.M.C. Vicentini, which main objective is to contribute to the establishment of a new infrastructure and technological platform for R&D of biological nanostructured release systems for vaccine delivery. Thus, the development of this project will have a direct and fundamental contribution to the establishment of this new technological platform. (AU)