Lucas Santos

Mr. Lucas Santos

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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3 April 2019 in Molecular Biology Reports
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
LSLucas Santos
Lucas Santos
MMMariana Maximiano
Mariana Maximiano
EMEsaú Megias
Esaú Megias
MPMarília Pappas
Marília Pappas
SRSimone G. Ribeiro
Simone G. Ribeiro
AMAngela Mehta
Angela Mehta

25 March 2023 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MAMaria Fernanda Castro Amarante
Maria Fernanda Castro Amarante
SPSamuel Santos Pereira
Samuel Santos Pereira
Lennon PereiraLennon Pereira
Lennon Pereira
LSLucas Santos
Lucas Santos
AVAlexia Adrianne Venceslau-Carvalho
Alexia Adrianne Venceslau-Carvalho
LFLuís Ferreira
Luís Ferreira
The C-terminal portion of the E protein, known as stem, is conserved among flaviviruses and is an important target to peptide-based antiviral strategies. Since the dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses share sequences in the stem region, in this study we evaluated the cross-inhibition of ZIKV by the stem-based DV2 peptide (419–447), which was previously described to inhibit all DENV serotypes. Thus, the anti-ZIKV effects induced by treatments with the DV2 peptide were tested in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Molecular modeling approaches have demonstrated that the DV2 peptide interacts with amino acid residues exposed on the surface of pre- and postfusion forms of the ZIKA envelope (E) protein. The peptide did not have any significant cytotoxic effects on eukaryotic cells but efficiently inhibited ZIKV infectivity in cultivated Vero cells. In addition, the DV2 peptide reduced morbidity and mortality in mice subjected to lethal challenges with a ZIKV strain isolated in Brazil. Taken together, the present results support the therapeutic potential of the DV2 peptide against ZIKV infections and open perspectives for the development and clinical testing of anti-flavivirus treatments based on synthetic stem-based peptides.

4 February 2022 in Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
MMMariana Maximiano
Mariana Maximiano
LSLucas Santos
Lucas Santos
CSC. Santos
C. Santos
FAF.J.L. Aragão
F.J.L. Aragão
SDS.C. Dias
S.C. Dias
AMAngela Mehta
Angela Mehta