Investigating the role of natural products on oxidative stress and mitochondrial function: an in vitro and in vivo approach

• Grant number: 24/18859-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Ethnopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fulvio Rieli Mendes
• Grantee: Gabriela Morales Lima
• Supervisor: Nora Gray
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Oregon Health & Science University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/02031-2 - Effects of the beta-carboline alkaloids harmine and harmaline on the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense pathway in a cellular and animal model of LPS-induced neuroinflammation, BP.MS

Abstract

Oxidative stress is one of the main features associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases, leading to a series of disturbances of cell homeostasis, including mitochondrial dysfunction. The Nrf2 pathway is a master regulator of redox homeostasis and compounds that act as inducers of this signaling pathway have been studied as promising therapeutic and prophylactic agents. It is well known that several plant extracts and phytochemicals have the ability to activate the Nrf2 pathway, and this project aims to investigate the role of different plant extracts and alkaloids against oxidative stress and in mitochondrial function. Therefore, the HepG2-ARE Reporter cells will be used to determine whether the ayahuasca brew and its main beta-carboline alkaloids can activate the Nrf2 pathway. In addition, two-photon in vivo microscopy will be used to determine if an extract from the plant Centella asiatica counteracts the impairment in mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in the 5xFAD mouse model of beta-amyloid accumulation.