Evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of botropic venoms in lymphoma and leukemia: exploring potential antitumor agents

• Grant number: 23/15381-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Manuela Berto Pucca
• Grantee: Geovanna Maria Malachias Pires
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/08990-4 - In vitro Thrombotic Assays for Assessing and Comparing Pro- coagulant Effects in Bothrops Venoms, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Leukemias and lymphomas are neoplastic diseases of hematopoietic origin that, despite having available treatments, report an increase in the number of cases each year in both developed and developing countries. This project aims to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of venoms from different species of jararaca on lymphoma and leukemia tumor cells, seeking to identify new antitumor treatments that could contribute to obtaining potential antitumor drugs. In total, seven pit viper venoms (Bothrops alternatus, B. atrox, B. jararaca, B. jararacuçu, B. leucurus, B. moojeni and B. pauloensis) will be extracted through manual compression of the glands and the biochemical profile will be analyzed by electrophoresis and chromatography. The antitumor evaluation will be performed on cells from cell lines for acute T-cell leukemia (Jurkat), Burkitt's lymphoma (Raji and Daudi), and acute B-cell leukemia (Nalm-6). The screening and evaluation of potential botropic venoms in interfering with the metabolic activity and viability of tumor cells will be carried out using the MTT colorimetric method. After evaluating the cytotoxic activity of botropic venoms, the venoms with the greatest antitumor activity will be selected for fractionation and determination of the mechanisms involved in the cytotoxic activity based on the evaluation of the apoptosis/necrosis and proliferation processes.

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)

ROMANAZZI, MARCELA; FILARDI, ELOISE T. M.; PIRES, GEOVANNA M. M.; CERVEJA, MARCOS F.; MELO-DOS-SANTOS, GUILHERME; OLIVEIRA, ISADORA S.; FERREIRA, ISABELA G.; CERNI, FELIPE A.; SANTOS-FILHO, NORIVAL ALVES; MONTEIRO, WUELTON M.; et al. The Versatility of Serine Proteases from Brazilian Bothrops Venom: Their Roles in Snakebites and Drug Discovery. BIOMOLECULES, v. 15, n. 2, p. 25-pg., 2025-02-01. (23/15381-1, 23/11264-0, 24/08990-4, 24/01801-1, 24/13258-0, 20/13176-3)