Marxa L. Figueiredo, Ph.D.

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES

Associate Professor
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
625 Harrison Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Phone: 765.494.5790
Email: mlfiguei@purdue.edu

Education

2002 Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI.

1994 B.S. in Biological Sciences
Federal University of Goiás
Goiânia-GO, Brazil.

Areas of Research Interest

The primary goals of the lab are to understand the interactions between the skeletal and immune systems and apply this understanding to developing novel therapeutic applications. We focus on integrating biological mechanisms with development of strategies that can leverage the immune system to simultaneously promote restoration of bone and alter immune responses to control inflammation or cell viability. Our therapeutic modalities build on multifunctional osteo-immune cytokines, which can be targeted to bone or inflammatory cells in order to exert regenerative effects. We are developing several gene delivery and stem cell delivery systems for cytokine-based gene therapy, with a focus on sonoporation gene delivery (sonodelivery) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells as vehicles. Although the lab group is involved with many projects, the vast majority of our work falls under one of three overarching projects.

Project 1 is centered on disrupting immune:bone malignant interactions using multifunctional cytokine sonodelivery. We are developing more effective therapies for inflammatory bone loss (arthritis) as well as metastatic prostate cancer using intramuscular sonodelivery of targeted cytokines including IL-27 and OP-1. We utilize modern optical and other noninvasive molecular imaging to detect therapeutic delivery and efficacy.
Project 2 examines the biology and potential of priming adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) for tissue regeneration, including bone and cartilage repair. Also, we examine how expression of therapeutic molecules by ASC can be used to treat tumors.
Project 3 is focused on the development of small molecules and peptides with a broad translational application for promoting bone and cartilage regeneration and antitumor effects. Small molecules in development mimic the interaction between Pigment Epithelium Derived Factor (PEDF) and its receptor. Oligopeptide-polymer nanoparticles are also in development for osteoarthritis therapy.

Selected Publications

Figueiredo, ML*, Figueiredo Neto, M, Salameh, JW, Decker, RE, Letteri, R, Chan-Seng, D, and Emrick, T. "Ligand-mediated targeting of cytokine Interleukin-27 enhances its bioactivity in vivo." Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. Mar 30, 2020;17:739-751. doi: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.03.022. PMID:32346551
Picanço-Castro, V*, Pereira, C, Covas, D, Porto, G, Athanassiadou, A, and Figueiredo, ML*. "Emerging patent landscape for non-viral vectors used for gene therapy." Nat Biotechnol. Feb 2020;38(2):151-157. doi: 10.1038/s41587-019-0402-x. PMID:32034383
Figueiredo Neto, M, Liu, S, Yokota, H, and Figueiredo, ML*. "Interleukin-27 gene delivery targeting IL-6Ra-expressing cells as a stress response therapy." Int J Mol Sci. Feb 7, 2020;21(3). pii: E1108. doi: 10.3390/ijms21031108. PMID:32046108
Salameh, WJ, Zhou, L, Ward, SM, Santa Chalarca, CF, Emrick, TE*, and Figueiredo, ML*. "Polymer-mediated Gene Therapy: Recent Advances and Merging of Delivery Techniques". Wiley Interdiscip Rev Nanomed Nanobiotechnol. 2020 Mar;12(2):e1598. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1598. Epub Dec 2, 2019. PMID:31793237
Umbaugh, C, Diaz-Quiñones, A., Figueiredo Neto, M., Shearer, JJ, and Figueiredo, ML*. "A Dock derived compound against laminin receptor (37 LR) exhibits anti-cancer properties in a prostate cancer cell line model." Oncotarget. Dec 13, 2017;9(5):5958-5978. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23236. PMID:29464047
Rivera-Cruz, C, Shearer, JJ, Figueiredo Neto, M, and Figueiredo, ML*. "The Immunomodulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Polarization Within the Tumor Microenvironment Niche." Special Issue: Environmental Stimulus on Stem Cell Behaviour. Stem Cells Int. 2017;2017:4015039. doi: 10.1155/2017/4015039. Epub Oct 17, 2017. PMID:29181035
Figueiredo Neto, M, Yokota, H., Figueiredo, ML. "Strategies for reducing inflammation and promoting bone repair in arthritis." Frontiers of Bioscience. Landmark, 22, 2148-2168. June 1, 2017
Figueiredo Neto, M, and Figueiredo, ML*. "Combination of Interleukin-27 and MicroRNA for Enhancing Expression of Anti-Inflammatory and Proosteogenic Genes." Arthritis. 2017;2017:6365857. doi: 10.1155/2017/6365857. PMID:28930550
Shearer, J., Wold, E., Nilsson, C., Lichti, C., and Figueiredo, ML*. Inorganic Arsenic–Related Changes in the Stromal Tumor Microenvironment in a Prostate Cancer Cell–Conditioned Media Model." Environ Health Perspect. 2016 Jul;124(7):1009-15. Epub Nov 20, 2015. (Featured Article)
Figueiredo Neto, M, Letteri, R., Emrick, T, and Figueiredo, ML*. "Sonodelivery facilitates sustained luciferase expression from an episomal vector in skeletal muscle." Materials 2015, 8(7), 4608-4617
Zolochevska, O, Parelkar, R, Emrick, T., Patrikeev, I, Wei, J, Motamedi, M., and Figueiredo. ML. "Interleukin-27 Gene Delivery for Modifying Malignant Interactions Between Prostate Tumor and Bone." Hum Gene Ther. Dec 2013;24(12):970-81. (Cover of Dec 2013 issue)
Zolochevska, O, Diaz-Quiñones, A.O., Ellis, J., and Figueiredo, ML. "Interleukin-27 expression modifies prostate cancer cell crosstalk with bone and immune cells in vitro." J Cell Physiol. May 2013;228(5):1127-36
Zolochevska, O and Figueiredo, ML. "Sonoporation delivery of Interleukin-27 gene therapy efficiently reduces prostate tumor cell growth in vivo." Hum Gene Ther. Dec 2011;22(12):1537-50