Effect of acute inflammatory responses on respiratory infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in animal models

• Grant number: 14/11087-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Leonor Sarno de Oliveira
• Grantee: Maria Leonor Sarno de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is responsible for diseases that cause death of approximately 1 million children under 5 each year, worldwide. Commonly, the bacterium colonizes the upper respiratory tract of healthy individuals establishing a commensal relationship with the host. The transmission occurs between individuals from this site. Occasionally, the pneumococcus can invade normally sterile sites causing illnesses such as pneumonia, septicemia, meningitis, otitis media and sinusitis. The colonization precedes invasive disease, which may occur in specific situations, such as low immunity. In addition, pneumococcus expresses different virulence factors that act by promoting the adhesion of bacteria to the host cells or the evasion of the immune system. Among risk groups for pneumococcal diseases are children under 5 years of age and the elderly. Epidemiological data also indicate that patients with diseases such as asthma, diabetes, heart or renal chronic diseases, among others, may be at increased risk for diseases caused by pneumococcus. Some animal models are used to study the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Streptococcus pneumoniae host-pathogen interactions, or even for the study of new vaccines. In our laboratory, models of nasal colonization and invasive respiratory infection in mice with different strains of pneumococcus that serve these purposes were established. Data from the literature and from our group suggest that tissue inflammation may play a role in the progression of pneumococcal infection in animal models. While a controlled inflammatory response seems to be definitive for the control of bacteria, exacerbated inflammation appears often to contribute to the aggravation. In this project, we propose to study the effects of the acute inflammatory response in models of respiratory infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice. For this purpose, the models will be evaluated in mice of the AIRmax and AIRmin lineages that were genetically selected for low and exacerbated acute inflammatory response, respectively. (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)

MANCUSO, RUBIA I.; MIYAJI, ELIANE N.; SILVA, CRISTIANE C. F.; PORTARO, FERNANDA V.; SOARES-SCHANOSKI, ALESSANDRA; RIBEIRO, ORLANDO G.; OLIVEIRA, MARIA LEONOR S.. Impaired expression of CXCL5 and matrix metalloproteinases in the lungs of mice with high susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE, v. 6, n. 1, p. 128-142, MAR 2018. (14/11087-2, 13/26052-7, 15/15364-3)