Molecular interactions of flavonoids Jaceosidin and Kaempferol 7 O-neohesperidoside in cell membrane model systems, extracted from HEp-2 cells

• Grant number: 24/09875-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Karina Alves de Toledo
• Grantee: Arissa Yonamine
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Human Orthopneumovirus, also known as Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is responsible for several hospital admissions of children, the elderly and immunosuppressed people due to complications of the lower respiratory tract. Currently, there is no specific and financially accessible treatment. Furthermore, available vaccines don't cover all risk groups. Our research group has investigated the antiviral potential of several anti-hRSV compounds. Recently, two flavonoids, Jaceosidin and Kaempferol 7 O-neohesperidoside, were efficient in protecting Hep-2 cells against viral infection by hRSV in different protocols (FAPESP 2023/02743-2). The interaction or not of these compounds with lipid molecules present in the cell membrane and/or viral envelope may be involved in the observed antiviral effects. The present proposal aims to evaluate the ability of Jaceosidin and Kaempferol 7 O-neohesperidoside to interact with lipid membranes of HEp-2 cells. To achieve this, Langmuir monolayers will be produced from cell membrane extracts, in order to mimic half of the phospholipid bilayer. These monolayers will be produced in the presence or absence of two flavonoids. The characterization of the films will be carried out using isotherms that correlate the surface pressure with the occupied molecular area (À-A). In a subsequent step, the flavonoid binding sites will be identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), using the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) film protocol for the fabrication of multilayers. The results obtained by this project contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms and molecular characteristics of compounds with anti-hRSV properties.