In vitro cultures of Sinningia species (Gesneriaceae) as a source of bioactive quinones and evaluation of their action on the inflammatory process of psoriasis: from phytotechnics to the evaluation metabolic responses/implications on molecular diversity

• Grant number: 23/14703-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2025
• End date: February 29, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Marcos José Salvador
• Grantee: Giulia Cristina Andreoli de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of plant tissue culture for the purpose of producing secondary metabolites in vitro has shown to be promising, making it possible to carry out studies on the regulation of a given secondary metabolite under controlled conditions that can be manipulated. Chemical and biological studies carried out with some Sinningia species, family Gesneriaceae, showed that this plant taxon is characterized by presenting secondary metabolites from the quinone class with great chemical diversity, with promising biological activities, with potential for therapeutic application in chronic inflammatory and infectious processes, as in psoriasis. Several of the metabolites found in the Gesneriaceae family are often obtained from the underground parts of these plants, such as tubers, often requiring the uprooting and death of the entire plant. An alternative system for studying the biomass of this plant taxon is the use of in vitro plant cell and tissue culture. To date, no studies have been found with in vitro plant cultures for the evaluation of metabolic responses (in natura plants and in vitro cultures) and evaluation of molecular diversity for the prospecting of bioactives, which makes this study unique. On the other hand, within the scope of public health, one of the main inflammatory skin diseases is psoriasis, which affects around 3% of the world's population, with great polymorphism in clinical expression and social, economic and health impacts. Among the factors that trigger and maintain inflammation, the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-± stands out, which stimulates the proliferation of keratinocytes, in addition to prolonging inflammation due to increased lymphocyte recirculation, which generates continuous injuries. , plaques and peelings on the skin. Both topical and systemic treatments generate serious side effects and there are few therapeutic alternatives. Thus, this work will seek to understand the metabolic and molecular responses of in natura plants and in vitro cultures of species of Sinningia (Gesneriaceae) such as S. reitzii and S. douglasii and the evaluation of the potential of these plant species as a source of new bioactive quinones for application in inflammatory processes involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Aiming for investigations in line with the principles of Green Chemistry, the study will include the identification of substances present in the extracts and, if necessary, the fractionation and isolation of target substances, with a low environmental impact, sustainable and safe approach, accompanied by pharmacological and toxicological tests. , seeking to identify new bioactive substances and legitimize hypotheses for action. To this end, this study aims to establish in vitro cell cultures of in natura plants with bioactive extracts in the screening, in a comparative approach using seeds of in natura plants originating from different populations of the plant species to be studied to evaluate metabolic responses. and molecular diversity in terms of phenotype expression depends on the population of origin. To this end, the study involves establishing in vitro plant cultures and callus cultures, obtaining crude extracts based on green chemistry principles, evaluating antioxidant activity (ORAC-FL), cytotoxicity and evaluating the anti-inflammatory effect in vitro in keratinocyte culture and in vivo, with psoriatic-like process induced by imiquimod, chemical profile analysis (HPLC-UV/DAD-ESI-MS) and in silico analyses. carried out for isolated quinones and reported in the literature for Sinningia species, using the criteria of choose biological activities and mechanism of action related to chronic inflammatory processes and favorable to the treatment of psoriasis to better understand the biological effect in terms of mechanics and hypothesis of action. Therefore, a multidisciplinary study will be carried out to search for new potential bioactive agents in Gesneriaceae plants.