Analysis of participation the e protein in neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence of Rocio virus in an animal model

• Grant number: 12/11169-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Victor Hugo Aquino Quintana
• Grantee: Victor Hugo Aquino Quintana
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo

Abstract

The flaviviruses cause a variety of diseases, including fevers, encephalitis and hemorrhagic fevers. Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of an acute fever disease that in few cases can evolve to more severe and fatal cases. On the other hand, Rocio virus (ROCV) has been responsible for a significant number of fatal encephalitis cases in the Vale do Ribeira in Sao Paulo State between 1975-1977. The envelope (E) glycoprotein is the major component of the virion external surface, responsible for neurovirulence of some flaviviruses. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of E protein in the viral pathogenesis. To this end, cDNA infectious clones of DENV-3 and chimerics of DENV/ROCV, previously constructed, will be evaluated in an animal model (BALB/c). The chimerics viruses were constructed based on DENV genome with substitution of of the E protein gene for the E protein gene of ROCV. This gene will be subjected to mutations to evaluate its participation in the nerovirulence. (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)

AMARILLA, ALBERTO A.; SETOH, YIN X.; PERIASAMY, PARTHIBAN; PENG, NIAS Y.; PALI, GABOR; FIGUEIREDO, LUIZ T.; KHROMYKH, ALEXANDER A.; AQUINO, VICTOR H.. Chimeric viruses between Rocio and West Nile: the role for Rocio prM-E proteins in virulence and inhibition of interferon-alpha/beta signaling. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, MAR 20 2017. (14/20930-5, 12/11169-3)

AMARILLA, ALBERTO A.; SANTOS-JUNIOR, NILTON NASCIMENTO; FIGUEIREDO, MARIO LUIS; MESQUITA LUIZ, JOAO PAULO; FUMAGALLI, MARCILIO JORGE; COLON, DAVID F.; LIPPI, VERONICA; ALFONSO, HELDA LIZ; LIMA-JUNIOR, DJALMA S.; TRABUCO, AMANDA C.; et al. CCR2 Plays a Protective Role in Rocio Virus-Induced Encephalitis by Promoting Macrophage Infiltration Into the Brain. Journal of Infectious Diseases, v. 219, n. 12, p. 2015-2025, JUN 15 2019. (12/11169-3, 12/08778-8, 14/15548-4, 14/02438-6)

BARROS, VERIDIANA ESTER; DOS SANTOS-JUNIOR, NILTON NASCIMENTO; AMARILLA, ALBERTO ANASTACIO; SOARES, ADRIANA MOREIRA; LOURENCINI, RAFAEL; TRABUCO, AMANDA CRISTINA; AQUINO, VICTOR HUGO. Differential replicative ability of clinical dengue virus isolates in an immunocompetent C57BL/6 mouse model. BMC Microbiology, v. 15, SEP 29 2015. (12/11169-3)