Encapsulation of antitumoral ruthenium complexes into calixarene derivatives: a study of drug delivery systems and cell membrane models

• Grant number: 20/15571-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: July 26, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior
• Grantee: Ellen Christine Wrobel
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/15057-0 - Developing innovative drug delivery systems: synthesis and 3D printing of calixarene-based hydrogels, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Ruthenium complexes have shown high toxicity against several tumor cell lines, but they are also toxic to healthy cells. Their efficient use in chemotherapy will only occur if they are encapsulated in biocompatible nanostructured carriers, such as those obtained with calixarenes. In this project, we will investigate the encapsulation of ruthenium complexes in drug delivery systems with derivatives of calixarenes, also evaluating the efficiency against tumor cells. For that purpose, experiments will be carried out to confirm the encapsulation and cytotoxic tests with tumor and healthy cells. Since the action of drugs depends on the interaction with cell membranes, we will use Langmuir films as models to investigate the effects of the complexes, including encapsulated ones. The characterization of the interaction with the Langmuir monolayers will include surface pressure and surface potential measurements, compression modulus, Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM) and Polarization-Modulated Infrared Reflection, and Absorption Spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and by molecular dynamics simulations. (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)

PIVETTA, THAIS P.; JOCHELAVICIUS, KAREN; WROBEL, ELLEN C.; BALOGH, DEBORA T.; OLIVEIRA, OSVALDO N.; RIBEIRO, PAULO A.; RAPOSO, MARIA. Incorporation of acridine orange and methylene blue in Langmuir monolayers mimicking releasing nanostructures. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES, v. 1865, n. 5, p. 8-pg., 2023-06-01. (18/22214-6, 20/15571-7)

WROBEL, ELLEN C.; DE LARA, LUCAS STORI; DE FATIMA, ANGELO; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.. Nanoarchitectonics and Simulation on the Molecular-Level Interactions between p-Sulfonic Acid Calix[4]arene and Langmuir Monolayers Representing Healthy and Cancerous Cell Membranes. Langmuir, v. 40, n. 51, p. 18-pg., 2024-12-12. (18/22214-6, 23/15057-0, 20/15571-7)

WROBEL, ELLEN C.; GUIMARAES, IVELISE DIMBARRE LAO; WOHNRATH, KAREN; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.. Effects induced by η6-p-cymene ruthenium(II) complexes on Langmuir monolayers mimicking cancer and healthy cell membranes do not correlate with their toxicity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES, v. 1866, n. 5, p. 14-pg., 2024-05-17. (18/22214-6, 20/15571-7)