Interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae, extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles with cells using respiratory tract epithelium models

• Grant number: 21/04996-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2021
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Eliane Namie Miyaji
• Grantee: Eliane Namie Miyaji
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cecilia Mari Abe

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes several diseases such as otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. The polysaccharide conjugate vaccines led to reduction of pneumococcal invasive disease caused by serotypes included in the vaccine formulation, but substitution by non-vaccine serotypes was observed. New vaccine formulations are thus necessary to control pneumococcal diseases. Our group has been working for several years in the development of vaccines with broad coverage against S. pneumoniae. Among the strategies currently studied is the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and nanoparticles (NPs) containing protein antigens inoculated in the nasopharynx or in the lungs. This project aims at comparing different in vitro models of the respiratory tract: i. Monolayer culture of pharyngeal and lung epithelial cell lines, ii. Monolayer co-culture of epithelial cell lines with macrophages differentiated from a monocytic cell line and iii. Co-culture of epithelial cell lines with dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages differentiated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a two-chamber model. The interaction with pneumococcal strains, EVs and NPs with the cells in the three in vitro models will be evaluated in terms of toxicity, internalization, activation of DCs and secretion of cytokines. Data obtained in this project will shed light on the host-pathogen interaction and can bring important information for the optimization of vaccine formulations based on EVs and NPs. (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)

OLIVEIRA, GIULIANA S.; OLIVEIRA, MARIA LEONOR S.; MIYAJI, ELIANE N.; RODRIGUES, TASSON C.. Pneumococcal Vaccines: Past Findings, Present Work, and Future Strategies. VACCINES, v. 9, n. 11, NOV 2021. (17/26090-7, 18/25165-6, 19/15961-2, 19/06190-2, 21/04996-0)