IN VIVO STUDIES OF THE ANTITUMORAL ACTIVITY OF AN avb3 INTEGRIN INHIBITOR

• Grant number: 23/13339-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Cytology and Cell Biology
• Principal Investigator: Heloisa Sobreiro Selistre de Araújo
• Grantee: Paulo Cesa de Almeida Junior
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors that connect cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and control diverse processes such as cell migration, cytoskeleton organization and direction of migration. The pattern of integrin expression may be significantly altered in cells that have undergone tumor transformation when compared to that of normal cells. Integrin-mediated signaling also modulates the response triggered by the activation of growth factor receptors such as VEGF, resulting in pro-angiogenic signals forming new vessels that will nourish the tumor, helping its growth. Therefore, integrins have been studied as possible targets of pharmacological inhibition for the prevention of metastases. The ±v²3 integrin (vitronectin receptor) is essential for cell mobility and angiogenesis. In this project, we will develop an experimental model of triple-negative breast tumor in mice and pharmacological inhibition with a recombinant disintegrin (DisBa-01). We intend to analyze whether the inhibition of ±v²3 integrin by local or systemic injection of DisBa-01 will impact tumor progression and tumor angiogenesis, in order to contribute to the development of new target-directed therapies.