Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2023/02577-5: Amersham Imagequant 800

• Grant number: 24/12744-9
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2031
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Costa Oliveira
• Grantee: Sergio Costa Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/02577-5 - Study of the mechanisms responsible for trained immunity induced by Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in infectious diseases and Cancer, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) besides its specific action against tuberculosis, it has the ability to trigger non-specific positive effects against heterologous viral and bacterial infections and against cancer. These effects have been associated in part with the innate immune system through a phenomenon termed trained immunity that is long lasting when it involves bone marrow cells (BM). The molecular basis of trained immunity in the monocyte/macrophage lineage has been the focus of intense investigation in the last decade; however, several scientific gaps still exist to explain this unspecific protective effect induced by BCG. In this context, there is a great importance of the metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming in host cells induced by BCG that will be investigated in this proposal. Our working hypothesis is based on the ability of trained immunity induced by BCG to protect against infections caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the bacteria Brucella abortus, and against cancer. To test this hypothesis the main goal of this project is to investigate the mechanisms of protection mediated by trained immunity induced by BCG against SARS-CoV-2 and Brucella abortus infections and against murine models of cancer. This is a multidisciplinary project divided in three proposals that involve scientists from different institutions in the state of São Paulo such as: University of São Paulo (Departments of Immunology and Microbiology), Fiocruz- Bi-Institutional Translational Medicine Project (Ribeirão Preto-SP) and the Butantan Institute (Laboratory of Vaccine Development). (AU)