Factors influencing expression of variant antigen families var, rif and surf of Plasmodium falciparum, the human malaria parasite

• Grant number: 15/17174-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Gerhard Wunderlich
• Grantee: Gerhard Wunderlich
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent human malaria parasite, contains several variant antigen encoding gene families, which are either virulence-related or have unknown functions. These families include var, rif/stevor and surf families, besides others. All families have in common that their expression is strictly controlled, meaning that one or a few alleles are transcriptionally active, while all others are silenced. Surf genes are perhaps expressed in a stage specific way, and in our hands, one allele seems to be constitutively expressed. In recent knockdown experiments we observed that the decrease of the expressed surfin led to an increase in its transcript. In this proposal we set out to elucidate the role of different transcription factors possibly related to var and rif expression and evaluate possible factors (epigenetic or ncRNA) which influence surf transcription. The knowledge about virulence gene expression contribute not only to the combat of P. falciparum but also P. vivax, the most abundant Plasmodium species in Brazil. (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)

WESLEY L. FOTORAN; NICOLE KLEIBER; THOMAS MÜNTEFERING; EVA LIEBAU; GERHARD WUNDERLICH. Production of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins for vaccines and directed binding of immunoliposomes to specific cell types. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, v. 26, 2020-08-03. (15/17174-7)

CUBILLOS, ELIANA F. G.; PRATA, ISADORA OLIVEIRA; FOTORAN, WESLEY LUZETTI; RANFORD-CARTWRIGHT, LISA; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. The Transcription Factor PfAP2-O Influences Virulence Gene Transcription and Sexual Development in Plasmodium falciparum. FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY, v. 11, JUN 28 2021. (16/12659-5, 17/24267-7, 15/17174-7, 16/19145-7)

FOTORAN, WESLEY LUZETTI; KLEIBER, NICOLE; GLITZ, CHRISTIANE; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. A DNA Vaccine Encoding Plasmodium falciparum PfRH5 in Cationic Liposomes for Dermal Tattooing Immunization. VACCINES, v. 8, n. 4, DEC 2020. (15/17174-7, 17/24267-7)

MACEDO-SILVA, TATIANE; DUQUE ARAUJO, ROSANA BEATRIZ; MEISSNER, KAMILA ANNA; FOTORAN, WESLEY LUZETTI; MEDEIROS, MARCIA MELO; DE AZEVEDO, MAURO FERREIRA; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. Knockdown of the Plasmodium falciparum SURFIN4.1 antigen leads to an increase of its cognate transcript. PLoS One, v. 12, n. 8, AUG 11 2017. (15/17174-7, 12/23306-5, 13/12439-7, 15/19316-3)

DUQUE ARAUJO, ROSANA BEATRIZ; SILVA, TATIANE MACEDO; KAISER, CHARLOTTE SOPHIE; LEITE, GABRIELA FERNANDES; ALONSO, DIEGO; MARTINS RIBOLLA, PAULO EDUARDO; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. Independent regulation of Plasmodium falciparum rif gene promoters. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, JUN 19 2018. (15/17174-7, 12/23306-5)

FOTORAN, WESLEY L.; COLHONE, MARCELLE C.; CIANCAGLINI, PIETRO; STABELI, RODRIGO G.; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. Merozoite-Protein Loaded Liposomes Protect against Challenge in Two Murine Models of Plasmodium Infection. ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, v. 2, n. 12, p. 2276-2286, DEC 2016. (12/23306-5, 15/17174-7, 12/18617-1)

RODRIGUES-JESUS, M. J.; FOTORAN, W. L.; CARDOSO, R. M.; ARAKI, K.; WUNDERLICH, G.; FERREIRA, LUIS C. S.. Nano-multilamellar lipid vesicles (NMVs) enhance protective antibody responses against Shiga toxin (Stx2a) produced by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli strains (EHEC). Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, v. 50, n. 1, p. 67-77, JAN 2019. (14/21141-4, 15/17174-7)

FOTORAN, WESLEY L.; SANTANGELO, RACHELE; DE MIRAND, BEATRIZ N. M.; IRVINE, DARRELL J.; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. DNA-Loaded Cationic Liposomes Efficiently Function as a Vaccine against Malarial Proteins. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT, v. 7, p. 1-10, DEC 2017. (12/18617-1, 15/17174-7)

FOTORAN, WESLEY L.; MUENTEFERING, THOMAS; KLEIBER, NICOLE; MIRANDA, BEATRIZ N. M.; LIEBAU, EVA; IRVINE, DARRELL J.; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. A multilamellar nanoliposome stabilized by interlayer hydrogen bonds increases antimalarial drug efficacy. Nanomedicine-Nanotechnology Biology and Medicine, v. 22, NOV 2019. (16/19145-7, 17/24267-7, 17/08626-7, 15/17174-7)