Arboviruses VLP production in insect cells

• Grant number: 16/22780-6
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2017 - June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Soraia Attie Calil Jorge
• Grantee: Soraia Attie Calil Jorge
• Home Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by mosquitoes and other arthropods. In Brazil, there are 210 different types of arboviruses, among these arboviruses, largely belongs to the families of Togaviridade and Flaviviridae, Alphavirus and Flavivirus genera, respectively. Some arboviruses are responsible for neglected disease. In this sense, our research group has traditionally worked with the theme of neglected viral diseases, while developing different recombinant expression systems. We could express the rabies glycoprotein in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells and thus our group acquired excellence in working with insect cells, and national reference in this regard (FAPESP 2002 / 09482-3). We developed in our Institute the Semliki Forest Virus expression system, like a very promising recombinant alphavirus.The striking lack of scientific data on the molecular biology of many of arboviruses and particularly the shortages of papers reporting the expression of these proteins in recombinant systems make this challenging proposition. At the same time, the results of the research proposed here should represent an important step in the understanding of these viruses and their infection, and especially for a future proposition vaccine preparation needed in various locations in Latin America and of strategic importance when analyzing the recent urban cases of arboviruses and viral tropism in different vectors.In this way, our goal in this project is to establish methodology for viral like particles (VLPs) production and / or recombinant proteins Mayaro virus (MAYV), Chikungunya (CHIKV) and Zika (ZIKV). (AU)