Evaluation of nanostructured natural products for cutaneous anti-aging effect and photoprotection

• Grant number: 22/01138-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: August 18, 2022
• End date: July 24, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Carlota de Oliveira Rangel Yagui
• Grantee: Carlota de Oliveira Rangel Yagui
• Host Investigator: Paul Frederick Long
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: King's College London, England

Abstract

Skin exposition to sun might result in deleterious effects, accute ones (sunburn, phototoxic reactions, photoalergy and photosensitivity) and chronic ones (skin cancer, immunosuppression, photoaging). The cascade of events related to skin exposition to UV radiation is extremely complex and involves free radicals' production, oxidative damage to DNA and direct photolesions to DNA. In this sense, the use of enzymes such as photolyase, which repairs the UV damage to DNA, is considered an interesting strategy of active photoprotection. In addition, other biological molecules such as mycosporin like aminoacids (MAAs) present potential as protoprotectors since they prevent the generation of free radicals and correspond to more ecological alternatives in comparison to the classic sunfilters available. In this context and considering the actual FAPESP Project under my coordination, related to the production and nanoencapsulation of photolyase, the present proposal aims at a Research Visit at King's College London to perform in vitro studies to investigate the biological activity of pure and nanoencapsulated photolyase, as well as to prospect MAAs isolated by Prof. Paul Long, supervisor of the research visit, that present potential for further investigation in nanotechnological platforms under investigation by my research group. Based on these studies and discussions, we intend to advance to highly competitive novel collaborative proposals, to broaden the research horizons and fund raising. Additionally, teaching activities and internationalization will also be goals of this proposal we believe to be timely, competitive, and innovative, with excellent perspectives for the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of USP and the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the King's College London. (AU)