Percorrer por autor "Guedes, Rita C."
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- Combining in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches to evaluate the effect of serotonergic-based topical therapies on mild to moderate psoriasisPublication . Martins, Ana M.; Gonçalves, Lídia; Simões, Sandra; Serra, Patrícia A.; Guedes, Rita C.; Ribeiro, Helena; Marto, JoanaPsoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, poses a significant burden on patients’ quality of life and healthcare systems. While mild-to-moderate cases are treated topically, usually combined with phototherapy, severe cases require systemic treatment with immunosuppressants, retinoids or biologics. However, all available treatments have drawbacks in terms of efficiency and side effects. Drawing from studies linking depression treatment to psoriasis improvement, we investigated whether topical formulations of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) could offer a viable therapy for psoriasis. Five SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine, paroxetine, escitalopram, fluvoxamine) were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity, in human keratinocytes and THP-1 monocytes. Their anti-inflammatory action was tested using cell differentiation assays and immunoassays of pro-inflammatory cytokines in THP-1 monocytes. The results obtained with sertraline, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine suggested further evaluation in vivo. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated by skin parameter monitoring and histopathology, in an imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation mice model, and the best results were obtained for fluvoxamine. These findings were further supported by in silico molecular docking studies of the structural interaction between the serotonergic receptors and the drugs. Future research will focus on developing and characterizing of topical fluvoxamine formulations, like emulsions and penetration-enhancer vesicles, which offer advantages over the gels used herein.
- Computational modulation of the V3 region of glycoprotein gp125 of HIV-2Publication . Serra, Patrícia A.; Taveira, Nuno; Guedes, Rita C.HIV-2 infection is frequently neglected in HIV/AIDS campaigns. However, a special emphasis must be given to HIV-2 as an untreated infection that also leads to AIDS and death, and for which the efficacy of most available drugs is limited against HIV-2. HIV envelope glycoproteins mediate binding to the receptor CD4 and co-receptors at the surface of the target cell, enabling fusion with the cell membrane and viral entry. Here, we developed and optimized a computer-assisted drug design approach of an important HIV-2 glycoprotein that allows us to explore and gain further insights at the molecular level into protein structures and interactions crucial for the inhibition of HIV-2 cell entry. The 3D structure of a key HIV-2ROD gp125 region was generated by a homology modeling campaign. To disclose the importance of the main structural features and compare them with experimental results, 3D-models of six mutants were also generated. These mutations revealed the selective impact on the behavior of the protein. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to optimize the models, and the dynamic behavior was tackled to account for structure flexibility and interactions network formation. Structurally, the mutations studied lead to a loss of aromatic features, which is very important for the establishment of π-π interactions and could induce a structural preference by a specific coreceptor. These new insights into the structure-function relationship of HIV-2 gp125 V3 and surrounding regions will help in the design of better models and the design of new small molecules capable to inhibit the attachment and binding of HIV with host cells.
- Novel DNA repair inhibitors targeting XPG to enhance cisplatin therapy in non-small cell lung cancer : insights from in silico and cell-based studiesPublication . Manguinhas, Rita; Serra, Patrícia A.; Gil, Nuno; Rosell, Rafael; Oliveira, Nuno G.; Guedes, Rita C.NSCLC is marked by low survival and resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy. The XPG endonuclease has emerged as a promising biomarker for predicting the prognosis of cisplatin-treated patients and its downregulation having been reported to increase cisplatin efficacy. This study presents an integrated strategy for identifying small molecule inhibitors of XPG to improve cisplatin therapy in NSCLC. A structure-based virtual screening approach was adopted, including a structural and physicochemical analysis of the protein, and a library of small molecules with reported inhibitory activities was retrieved. This analysis identified Lys84 as a crucial residue for XPG activity by targeting its interaction with DNA. After molecular docking and virtual screening calculations, 61 small molecules were selected as potential XPG inhibitors, acquired from the ChemBridge database and then validated in H1299 cells, a NSCLC cell line exhibiting the highest ERCC5 expression. The MTS assay was performed as a first screening approach to determine whether these potential inhibitors could enhance cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. Overall, among the eight compounds identified as the most promising, three of them revealed to significantly increase the impact of cisplatin. The inherent cytotoxicity of these compounds was further investigated in a non-tumoral lung cell line (BEAS-2B cells), which resulted in the identification of two non-cytotoxic candidates to be used in combination with cisplatin in order to improve its efficacy in NSCLC therapy.
- Unveiling novel ERCC1–XPF complex inhibitors : bridging the gap from in silico exploration to experimental designPublication . Manguinhas, Rita; Serra, Patrícia A.; Soares, Rita B.; Rosell, Rafael; Gil, Nuno; Oliveira, Nuno G.; Guedes, Rita C.Modifications in DNA repair pathways are recognized as prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Overexpression of ERCC1 correlates with poorer prognosis and response to platinum-based chemotherapy. As a result, there is a pressing need to discover new inhibitors of the ERCC1–XPF complex that can potentiate the efficacy of cisplatin in NSCLC. In this study, we developed a structure-based virtual screening strategy targeting the inhibition of ERCC1 and XPF interaction. Analysis of crystal structures and a library of small molecules known to act against the complex highlighted the pivotal role of Phe293 (ERCC1) in maintaining complex stability. This residue was chosen as the primary binding site for virtual screening. Using an optimized docking protocol, we screened compounds from various databases, ultimately identifying more than one hundred potential inhibitors. Their capability to amplify cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity was assessed in NSCLC H1299 cells, which exhibited the highest ERCC1 expression of all the cell lines tested. Of these, 22 compounds emerged as promising enhancers of cisplatin efficacy. Our results underscore the value of pinpointing crucial molecular characteristics in the pursuit of novel modulators of the ERCC1–XPF interaction, which could be combined with cisplatin to treat NSCLC more effectively.