Evaluation of anti-integrin peptide modified by DOTA chelator as a potential therapy for head and neck cancer

• Grant number: 25/00506-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Carron
• Grantee: Isabella Colombani
• Host Institution: Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia (HEMOCENTRO). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10265-8 - Cancer Theranostics Innovation Center (CancerThera), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Head and neck cancer (HNC) represents a serious health problem worldwide and is the seventh most common type of cancer. Despite advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, there has been no substantial increase in the average survival rate of patients with the disease in recent decades. The "Center for Cancer Innovation with Emphasis on Metals and Theranostics" (CancerThera), funded by FAPESP (grant no. 2021/10265-8), aims to develop new metallodrugs and radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of various tumors. One of the radiopharmaceuticals under study at CancerThera by our research group consists of an anti-integrin peptide modified with the DOTA chelator. Integrins are transmembrane proteins responsible for cell-cell adhesion and interaction with the extracellular matrix. Integrins are often overexpressed in HNC and promote cell proliferation and migration. Thus, compounds that inhibit integrin activity may exhibit antitumor effects on HNC. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with an anti-integrin peptide modified with the DOTA chelator in HNC cells. FaDu, cisplatin-resistant FaDu (FaDu-R), Detroit-562, SCC-4, SCC-9, SCC-25, and A-253 cell lines will be treated with the peptide and subjected to assessments of cell proliferation and migration using the sulforhodamine B assay and wound-healing assay, respectively. Additionally, the influence of peptide treatment on the expression of genes in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway will be analyzed by quantitative PCR. Through this study, we aim to identify the effects of the DOTA-modified anti-integrin peptide on tumor cells, which will contribute to the development of a theranostic for HNC.