Title: Experimental Thesis on “ Bioactive Peptide-Drug Conjugates and Liposomial Anticancer Drug Deivery in NeuroEndocrine Tumors (NETs) : Neurotensin and the (NT/NTSR) receptor system .

Biography:

La fondazione dell’Università di Napoli Federico II risale alla generalis lictera dell’Imperatore svevo del 5 giugno 1224. Dall'anno accademico 2013/2014 è in vigore il nuovo Statuto e l'Ateneo oggi si compone di 4 Scuole e 26 Dipartimenti, sono quindi scomparse le Facoltà. Le Scuole si dividono in Scuola delle Scienze Umane e Sociali, Scuola delle Scienze e delle Tecnologie per la Vita, Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia e Scuola Politecnica e delle Scienze di Base, e includono 13 Aree Didattiche ripartite in Area didattica Agraria, Area didattica Architettura, Area didattica Economia, Area didattica Farmacia, Area didattica Giurisprudenza, Area didattica Ingegneria, Area didattica Medicina e Chirurgia, Area didattica Medicina Veterinaria, Area didattica Scienze Biotecnologiche, Area didattica Scienze MM.FF.NN., Area didattica Scienze Politiche, Area didattica Sociologia e Area didattica Studi umanistici. L'Università ha anche 42 Centri di ricerca e di servizio e 2 Orti botanici. L’Ateneo conta 108 biblioteche di cui una telematica e 12000 postazioni informatiche. Attualmente l’offerta formativa propone 144 Corsi di Laurea, 86 Master Universitari, 80 Dottorati di Ricerca, 61 Scuole di Specializzazione e 65 Corsi di Perfezionamento.

Abstract

The main focus of this current Experimental Thesis Project is the introduction of the native form of the bioactive tridecapeptide Neurotensin (NT) and its biomimetic chemically modified derived forms – obtained by specific biochemical protection strategies and specific functionalisation reactions , both feasible on the functional groups of the (NT) unique aminoacid sequence – and the (NT/NTSR) neurotensin receptor system in signal transduction of pathophysiological conditions , such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases . The main goal of this preliminary Experimental Thesis Project is to study and to describe the role and functions of both (NT) and the (NT/NTSR) receptor system in GPCR- mediated signalling biochemical pathways , in both physiological conditions and – most importantly - in pathology-related conditions , such as most importantly cancer and also neurodegenerative diseases , as major leading causes of death in global modern society.

As a matter of fact , molecular targeted combined therapy and innovative biochemical techniques useful in Drug Delivery strategies of traditionally already well-known and recent newly discovered anticancer therapeutic agents in new formulations are key factors in current pre-Approval decision-making procedures in Clinical Oncology Phase Trials prior to final FDA-EMA Approval ( and subsequent marketing strategies ) .

In molecular targeted combined therapy , the really essential key factor is the chemical conjugation of a well-defined biochemical sequence of naturally available and chemically- protected and functionalised aminoacids (in this case , Peptide-Drug Conjugates or Monoclonal Antibody-Drug Conjugates ) are thus finally obtained as potential therapeutic and theranostic imaging agents in innovative chemotherapy protocols.

A wide range of many scientfic published results are mainly focused on ADC Targeted Therapies , but this Experimental Thesis Project is majorly oriented towards bioactive Peptide-Drug Conjugates and their related Liposomial Drug Delivery formulations and innovative drug delivery strategies .

In fact . Liposomes are micellar nanoparticles capable of loading , encapsulating and delivering – in this Experimental Research article - the different (NT)-conjugated anticancer therapeutic agents in situ within cancer cells with an extremely unique biomolecular interaction ranging from site-specific recognition of DNA consensus sequences (i.e. GAG base triplets,etc…) to enzymes (for example , DNA TopoIsomerase II and several multi-kinase isoforms, etc…) , receptors (e.g. NT/NTSR receptor system – all overexpressed in cancer cells , especially in NETs cancer cell lines selected for this Experimental Thesis Assignment Project.

The main resulting biochemical and pharmacological results obtained by application of such Nanotechnological Methods in final API Formulation and – more specifically – of the Liposomial Drug Delivery of Anticancer therapeutic agents are hereby listed as follows :