Chemokines in leptospirosis: characterization of its antimicrobial potential and interference in the gene expression of virulence factors in Leptospira sp.

• Grant number: 17/20903-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Josefa Bezerra da Silva
• Grantee: Josefa Bezerra da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Enéas de Carvalho ; Paulo Lee Ho

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of high public health relevance that affects different organs and presents from mild clinical manifestations to failure of multiple organs. Its pathological agent is the spirochaete Leptospira that is transmitted directly through contact with animal reservoirs, which excrete the bacterium in the urine, or through contact with contaminated soil and water. This study will evaluate the antimicrobial activity of several chemokines towards L. interrogans through survival analysis in Petroff-Hausser chamber and in vitro growth. The chemokines with the best inhibitory activity will be selected and better characterized. In addition, a treatment to analyze of the selected chemokines will be performed on cell lines (RAW 264-7 or HepaRG or MRC-5) infected with L. interrogans. Supernatant and cells will be collected after the treatment for protein determination by ELISA, evaluation of protein expression using commercial kits and / or (ELISA) and analysis of gene transcripts from molecular tests (qPCR) to analyze possible induction or inhibition of the bacteria gene. This study will contribute to the clarification of the role of chemokines in leptospirosis, evaluating the potential antimicrobial mediators and their contribution to the gene expression of virulence factors of Leptospira and progression of the disease. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SILVA, PALOMA L. D.; NAKAJIMA, ERIKA; DA COSTA, RENATA M. A.; HO, PAULO LEE; MARTINS, ELIZABETH A. L.; CARVALHO, ENEAS; DA SILVA, JOSEFA B.. Chemokine expression profiles in liver and kidney of mice with different susceptibilities to leptospirosis. Microbial Pathogenesis, v. 149, DEC 2020. (13/16451-1, 17/20903-6)

MARIANO, IAGO H. DE MIRANDA; SILVA, BRUNA FERREIRA; MACHADO, MAYRIELE DA S.; BLANCO, ROBERTA M.; ROMERO, ELIETE C.; ANDRADE, SONIA A.; HO, PAULO LEE; MARTINS, ELIZABETH A. L.; DA SILVA, JOSEFA BEZERRA. Analysis of LruC lipoprotein and identification of peptides candidates for vaccine development and diagnosis of leptospirosis. PLoS One, v. 18, n. 2, p. 14-pg., 2023-02-06. (17/20903-6)