The LCDR (Laboratory of Cancer Drug Resistance) is focused on strategies targeting multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer. MDR has been described as a major challenge in cancer therapy. Although there are several known mechanisms of MDR, the overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters is considered the leading cause for the development of drug resistance in many cancers. These overexpressed ABC transporters increase the efflux of chemotherapeutic drugs, decreasing intracellular accumulation to subclinical concentrations. ABC proteins are described as polyspecific due to their ability to export a wide range of drugs with unrelated chemical structures and cellular targets. The human genome codes for 48 ABC proteins. However, the precise number of members contributing to clinical MDR is still under investigation. Three extensively studied ABC transporters have been implicated in the development of MDR: P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1), multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2).
The goal of the laboratory is the identification of new inhibitors of ABC transporters, and the characterization the molecular mechanism of inhibition, as well the identification of the clinically ABC transporters implicated on MDR. The laboratory utilizes a variety of techniques, including flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, western blot, cell viability assays, fluorescence microscopy, molecular docking and others.
The laboratory is directed by Professors Glaucio Valdameri and Vivian Rotuno Moure. For details about joining our team, please contact us by email (gvaldameri@ufpr.br or vivian.moure@ufpr.br)
