Platelets at the interface of immunity, inflammation and hemostasis modulation in ...
| Grant number: | 17/00236-5 |
| Support type: | Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants |
| Duration: | April 01, 2018 - September 30, 2019 |
| Field of knowledge: | Interdisciplinary Subjects |
| Principal Investigator: | Mônica Larucci Vieira |
| Grantee: | Mônica Larucci Vieira |
| Home Institution: | Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Assoc. researchers: | Ana Lucia Tabet Oller Do Nascimento ; Marcos Bryan Heinemann |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 18/07054-2 - Platelets at the interface of immunity, inflammation and hemostasis modulation in leptospirosis, BP.JP |
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an important zoonosis, caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Despite its importance and recent functional genomics studies, the molecular mechanisms of the infectious process and the pathophysiology of leptospirosis remain unclear. However, increasing evidence suggests that pathogen over-stimulation and/or modulation of immune response and host inflammation, as well as haemostatic balance disturbance, appear to play a central role in the pathogenesis and symptomatology of the disease. Platelets have a major function in primary hemostasis. In addition, platelets have numerous activities, being inflammatory cells with multiple roles ranging from innate immune responses to adaptive immunity. The immuno-inflammatory regulatory functions of platelets are relatively new concepts within bacterial infections, and still unexplored in leptospirosis. Thus, this project proposes the study of platelet activation and its interactions with other immune cells and effector or regulatory molecules as a mechanism host response modulation during Leptospira infection. The main objective is the identification of immunological, inflammatory and haemostatic molecular mechanisms causing severe symptoms such as hemorrhages, vasculitis and organ failure in leptospirosis. These studies could constitute a basis for the development of new therapeutic, diagnostic and prophylactic strategies against the disease. (AU)