Cell-penetrating peptides as drug shuttles for pain management and other therapeutic applications

This thesis focuses on one of the biggest challenges facing drug discovery field: the efficient targeted delivery of therapeutic compounds, and how cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) acting as drug delivery vectors can overcome pharmacokinetic issues and poor access to difficult targets, such as the c...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Gallo, María
Tipo de recurso: tesis doctoral
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:CBUC, CESCA
Repositorio:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
OAI Identifier:oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/672621
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10803/672621
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Cell-penetrating peptides
G-protein coupled receptors
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
CNS disorders
Parasitic infections
Péptidos de penetración cellular
Receptores acoplados a proteínas
Receptores acoplados a proteínas G
Transtornos del SNC
Infecciones parasitarias
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Descripción
Sumario:This thesis focuses on one of the biggest challenges facing drug discovery field: the efficient targeted delivery of therapeutic compounds, and how cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) acting as drug delivery vectors can overcome pharmacokinetic issues and poor access to difficult targets, such as the central nervous system (CNS). Specifically, we designed and developed an optimized, oral active, CPP-linked peptide-based disruptor targeting cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5HT2A receptor heterodimer, which allows medical use of cannabinoids to fight pain while avoiding memory impairment side effects. Similarly, we successfully disturbed the adenosine A2A receptor homodimerization by coupling an interfering peptide to a modified cyclic CPP, as a promising strategy for treatment of CNS disorders. Following also CPP-conjugation, we managed to considerably increase cellular uptake into Leishmania cells of paromomycin, a low bioavailable anti-parasitic drug. Altogether, this work reinforces CPPs relevance as drug carriers and provides valuable insights into CPPs design, optimization, validation and coupling strategies.