Effect of thymic atrophy induced by Plasmodium berghei infection in the establishment and course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)

• Grant number: 11/17965-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Liana Maria Cardoso Verinaud
• Grantee: Liana Maria Cardoso Verinaud
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The thymus is the primary lymphoid organ responsible for the maturation and development of T lymphocytes, playing a key role in the generation of central tolerance. Some extrinsic factors, such as parasitic infections are able to induce its atrophy. Previous experiments conducted in our laboratory have shown that infection with Plasmodium berghei, the causative agent of malaria induces profound thymic atrophy, mainly because of the premature exit of immature cells to the periphery. Malaria is the leading infectious disease in humans. In Brazil were described more than 330 000 cases in 2010. The destruction of the parasite by the action of T and B cells is essential for the resolution of the disease. However, a delicate balance of the performance of the immune system during infection is essential. Since the relationship between the generation of autoimmune responses and infection is poorly studied their understanding can yield therapies for various chronic inflammatory diseases of autoimmune, such as multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a disease caused the destruction of the myelin sheath that covers nerve endings, cells of the immune system. Little is known about the factors that trigger the response against itself, although it is suspected the involvement of infections in the main observations made in an experimental model of this disease: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Hence, the objective of this study is to assess whether the thymic atrophy observed during experimental infection with P. berghei is able to alter the predisposition and clinical EAE in mice. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(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)

DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; DI GANGI, ROSARIA; MARTINS, PAULA; FIGUEIREDO LONGHINI, ANA LEDA; ZANUCOLI, FABIO; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE; STACH-MACHADO, DAGMAR RUTH; BURGER, EVA; VERINAUD, LIANA; THOME, RODOLFO. Protection against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in mice treated with modulated dendritic cells relies on inhibition of interleukin-10 production by CD8(+) T cells. Immunology, v. 146, n. 3, p. 486-495, NOV 2015. (13/08194-9, 12/22131-7, 13/01401-9, 11/17965-3, 14/02631-0)

VERINAUD, LIANA; PINTO LOPES, STEFANIE COSTA; NARANJO PRADO, ISABEL CRISTINA; ZANUCOLI, FABIO; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; DI GANGI, ROSARIA; ISSAYAMA, LUIDY KAZUO; CARVALHO, ANA CAROLINA; BONFANTI, AMANDA PIRES; NIEDERAUER, GUILHERME FRANCIO; et al. Violacein Treatment Modulates Acute and Chronic Inflammation through the Suppression of Cytokine Production and Induction of Regulatory T Cells. PLoS One, v. 10, n. 5, MAY 4 2015. (11/17965-3, 11/23664-6, 12/01892-0, 14/02631-0)

THOME, RODOLFO; BOMBEIRO, ANDRE LUIS; ISSAYAMA, LUIDY KAZUO; RAPOSO, CATARINA; PINTO LOPES, STEFANIE COSTA; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; DI GANGI, ROSARIA; FERREIRA, ISADORA TASSINARI; FIGUEIREDO LONGHINI, ANA LEDA; RODRIGUES OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE; et al. Exacerbation of Autoimmune Neuro-Inflammation in Mice Cured from Blood-Stage Plasmodium berghei Infection. PLoS One, v. 9, n. 10, OCT 17 2014. (11/17965-3, 11/13191-3)

THOME, RODOLFO; ISSAYAMA, LUIDY K.; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; GANGI, ROSARIA D.; FERREIRA, ISADORA T.; RAPOSO, CATARINA; LOPES, STEFANIE C. P.; DA CRUZ HOEFLING, MARIA ALICE; COSTA, FABIO T. M.; VERINAUD, LIANA. Dendritic cells treated with crude Plasmodium berghei extracts acquire immune-modulatory properties and suppress the development of autoimmune neuroinflammation. Immunology, v. 143, n. 2, p. 164-173, OCT 2014. (12/22131-7, 13/01401-9, 11/13191-3, 11/17965-3)

THOME, RODOLFO; ISSAYAMA, LUIDY KAZUO; DIGANGI, ROSARIA; BOMBEIRO, ANDRE LUIS; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; FERREIRA, ISADORA TASSINARI; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE; VERINAUD, LIANA. Dendritic cells treated with chloroquine modulate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Immunology and Cell Biology, v. 92, n. 2, p. 124-132, FEB 2014. (11/13191-3, 11/17965-3)

THOME, RODOLFO; PINTO LOPES, STEFANIE COSTA; MARANHAO COSTA, FABIO TRINDADE; VERINAUD, LIANA. Chloroquine: Modes of action of an undervalued drug. Immunology Letters, v. 153, n. 1-2, p. 50-57, JUN 2013. (11/17965-3, 11/13191-3)

THOME, RODOLFO; MORAES, ADRIEL S.; BOMBEIRO, ANDRE LUIS; FARIAS, ALESSANDRO DOS SANTOS; FRANCELIN, CAROLINA; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; DI GANGI, ROSARIA; BARBOSA DOS SANTOS, LEONILDA MARIA; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE; VERINAUD, LIANA. Chloroquine Treatment Enhances Regulatory T Cells and Reduces the Severity of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. PLoS One, v. 8, n. 6, JUN 14 2013. (11/17965-3)

THOME, RODOLFO; ISSAYAMA, LUIDY K.; DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; GANGI, ROSARIA D.; FERREIRA, ISADORA T.; RAPOSO, CATARINA; LOPES, STEFANIE C. P.; DA CRUZ HOEFLING, MARIA ALICE; COSTA, FABIO T. M.; VERINAUD, LIANA. Dendritic cells treated with crude Plasmodium berghei extracts acquire immune-modulatory properties and suppress the development of autoimmune neuroinflammation. IMMUNOLOGY, v. 143, n. 2, p. 10-pg., 2014-10-01. (13/01401-9, 11/13191-3, 12/22131-7, 11/17965-3)

DA COSTA, THIAGO ALVES; DI GANGI, ROSARIA; MARTINS, PAULA; FIGUEIREDO LONGHINI, ANA LEDA; ZANUCOLI, FABIO; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, ALEXANDRE LEITE; STACH-MACHADO, DAGMAR RUTH; BURGER, EVA; VERINAUD, LIANA; THOME, RODOLFO. Protection against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in mice treated with modulated dendritic cells relies on inhibition of interleukin-10 production by CD8(+) T cells. IMMUNOLOGY, v. 146, n. 3, p. 10-pg., 2015-11-01. (13/01401-9, 12/22131-7, 13/08194-9, 14/02631-0, 11/17965-3)