Investigation of antiangiogenic pathways and prostate anticancer activity of curcumin-loaded polymeric nanoparticles functionalized with bevacizumab

• Grant number: 23/02591-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 19, 2023
• End date: May 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Marlus Chorilli
• Grantee: Jennifer Thayanne Cavalcante de Araújo
• Supervisor: Lorenzo Mortara
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/06212-3 - Evaluation of the potential of curcumin encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles associated with D-±-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate functionalized with bevacizumab in the treatment of Prostate Cancer, BP.DR

Abstract

Curcumin is a polyphenol obtained from Curcuma longa L. It has shown antitumor activity in in vitro assays against different prostate cancer strains. However, presents limitations inherent to hydrophobicity and low bioavailability. In this way, curcumin will be incorporated into polymeric nanoparticles using D-±-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) as a surfactant, due to the advantages of improving drug stability properties, promoting controlled release, water solubility, reduced toxicity, internalization, and apoptosis of cancer cells. The nanoparticles will have their surface modified, binding bevacizumab, an anti-angiogenesis agent, to promote targeting to VEGF receptors. Thus, the present work aims to evaluate the antiangiogenic and anticancer pathways of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles functionalized with bevacizumab. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of nanoparticles against different prostate cancer strains (DU145, PC3 and LNCaP), detection of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, migration and invasion, assays to determine in vitro antiangiogenic pathways and cancer model will be evaluated of prostate in vivo. (AU)