In vitro study of the effect of supplementation with leucine and aqueous extract of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) in modulating the effects of cancer cachexia

• Grant number: 23/12635-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Cintra Gomes Marcondes
• Grantee: Gabriella Gonçalves da Silva Rezende
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/02739-4 - Nutrition and cancer: study of molecular, proteomic and metabolomic aspects of experimental model of cachexia, AP.TEM

Abstract

Cancer cachexia is a systemic multifactorial syndrome that alters several metabolic pathways and is mainly characterized by intense protein depletion from skeletal muscle. Depending on the progression of the disease, up to 80% of patients are affected by this syndrome, which is responsible for around 30% of all cancer-related deaths. More studies are needed to identify new strategies for a coadjuvant therapeutic treatments that can help to improve the quality of life of patients, for this reason, the objective of this project is to evaluate whether the amino acid leucine associated with the aqueous extract of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) can be able to minimize the activity of the neoplastic cell without causing damage to the muscle cell. For this purpose, an aqueous extract from acerola will be prepared and standardized in terms of phenolic constituents, under the hypothesis that the supplement (extract/leucine) can present modulatory activity in vitro assay using neoplastic cells and skeletal muscle cells, and the effects of the supplement without causing damage to the muscle cell.