Design and characterization of new resins functionalized with methacrylate-DNA conjugates hybridized with sugarcane-derived cystatin (Cane CPI-5) and human hemoglobin (HB)-DNA

• Grant number: 21/12130-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Materials
• Principal Investigator: Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf
• Grantee: Thamyris de Souza Carvalho
• Supervisor: Karina Midori Mori Carneiro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Toronto (U of T), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/16254-8 - Acquired enamel film engineering for protection against tooth erosion: in vivo evaluation of the protective effect of sugarcane-derived cystatin (CaneCPI-5), hemoglobin and/or peptide derived from staterin, BP.DR

Abstract

The use of DNA as a building block for the development of polymeric biomaterials represents a major advance in the field of nanomedicine. The desirable molecular properties of DNA, such as base pairing, precise sequence control, repair capability, ease of modification and functionalization, and biocompatibility allow for applications in drug delivery and as scaffolds. DNA nanostructures can range from simple 1D and 2D patterns to intricated 3D DNA nanostructures. Various functional groups and classes of molecules, including fluorescent labels, peptides and polymers, can be covalently linked to DNA strands, at regular intervals, to tune the materials' properties for applications in drug delivery, 3D cell culture and tissue regeneration. The project proposed here will introduce, for the first time, the desirable properties of DNA to dental resins. As such, it is a highly innovative and promising approach for delivering proteins/peptides to the tooth surface. Therefore, the objective of this study is to carry out the design and characterization of novel resins functionalized with methacrylate-DNA conjugates hybridized with CaneCPI-5 or HB-DNA. For the experimental design, the DNA sites will be covalently linked to commercially available methacrylate groups and conjugated to CaneCPI-5 or HB, through maleimide-thiol conjugation. The new materials will be characterized by the following methods: 1H and 13C NMR, gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and AFM. A functionalized resin will be produced containing DNA strands appended to the resin's skeleton, with sequences complementary to DNA-peptide/protein conjugates (CaneCPI-5 or HB-DNA), resulting in a versatile material, highly organized and free from leaching. (AU)