Prospection of bioactive peptides with antitumor activity isolated from scorpion venoms from the Brazilian Amazon

• Grant number: 23/10400-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Eliane Candiani Arantes Braga
• Grantee: Mouzarllem Barros dos Reis
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/01083-9 - Prospection of bioactive peptides with antitumor activity isolated from scorpion venoms from the Brazilian Amazon, AP.R

Abstract

Cancer is one of the diseases with the highest incidence, morbidity, and mortality worldwide. In Brazil, the incidence in 2020 was estimated at 670 thousand new cases. Despite scientific and technological advances, antitumor treatments have been practiced in the same way for about a century, that is, combined treatment modalities/techniques: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Venoms from scorpions are made up of a complex mixture of organic compounds with great potential for biotechnological application. Among these, peptides are an important source of molecules with potential for important biological actions and, consequently, the generation of new drugs. In this light, the isolation of new molecules derived from venoms becomes a promising alternative for the discovery of new drugs. In the present study, we will isolate the peptides from the crude venom of the scorpions Tityus silvestres, Tityus strandi, Tityus metuendus and Brotheas amazonicus and characterize the biological activity of these peptides in breast tumor cells (MCF-7, SKBr3 and MDA-MB231) using MCF10A breast epithelial cells as a control. We will first investigate the direct action of these peptides on tumor cells, as well as the intracellular pathways induced by the peptides that lead to tumor growth inhibition. The results obtained will contribute to the generation of new drugs with potential therapeutic application in the treatment of breast cancer.

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)

REIS, MOUZARLLEM BARROS; ARANTES, ELIANE CANDIANI. Immunosuppressive therapies in scorpion envenomation: new perspectives for treatment. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY, v. 6, p. 6-pg., 2024-11-19. (21/11936-3, 23/01083-9, 23/10400-8)

WIEZEL, GISELE A.; OLIVEIRA, ISADORA S.; REIS, MOUZARLLEM B.; FERREIRA, ISABELA G.; CORDEIRO, KALYNKA R.; BORDON, KARLA C. F.; ARANTES, ELIANE C.. The complex repertoire of Tityus spp. venoms: Advances on their composition and pharmacological potential of their toxins. Biochimie, v. 220, p. 23-pg., 2024-01-11. (23/11264-0, 21/11936-3, 20/13176-3, 22/08964-8, 23/01083-9, 23/10400-8)