Metabolomic and lipidomic approaches in neurotoxicity studies using cell culture models

• Grant number: 21/10410-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Quezia Bezerra Cass
• Grantee: Izadora Liranço Furlani
• Supervisor: Serge Marc Tancrède Rudaz
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université de Genève, Switzerland
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/03035-3 - Development of bioreactors for online studies of drug metabolism, BP.DD

Abstract

Toxicological studies are crucial to ensure human health upon the risk of exposure to chemicals and other agents. Regarding exposure to solvents, they can affect cognitive functions, and in severe cases, provoke similar symptoms of dementia. The current scenario of a growing number of chemical compounds has generated an increased demand of toxicological analyses, which called attention to the need for faster and cheaper methodologies less dependent on in vivo techniques. Thus, experimental models based on the use of cell cultures and the application of omics strategies have shown to be a powerful alternative in toxicity studies. The implementation of 2D and 3D cell cultures mimicking neural tissue, and without the influence of external factors such as environment and other biological functions can furnish reliable results of compounds involved in toxicity pathways. In addition, the application of analytical and statistical platforms, used in metabolomic and lipidomic approaches, represents a great alternative to tackle toxicity effects in a broad manner, allowing to highlight relevant metabolites and pathways to provide a better understanding of a specific compound's safety for humans. Herein, we purpose the evaluation of toxicity effects in neural 2D and 3D cell models exposed to glycol-ether solvents. To cover the metabolites involved in toxicity mechanisms, metabolomic and lipidomic strategies will be employed. The results will provide a correlation with the toxicological effect in human brains. (AU)