Interaction of Leptospire membrane proteins with human complement regulators factor H and C4BP

• Grant number: 11/13029-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Immunochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Lourdes Isaac
• Grantee: Mónica Marcela Castiblanco Valencia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leptospirosis is caused by spirochaeta bacteria, it is a zoonosis found worldwide mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. Once the host is infected, pathogenic Leptospires are able to survive, multiply and trigger specific immune response. Two mechanisms are important: phagocytosis and complement system evasion and the capacity to adhere to extracelular matrix. Recently, it was reported that pathogenic Leptospires are able to bind Factor H (FH), a regulatory protein of the complement system. Our group showed that these pathogenic bacteria are also able to bind to C4BP. In this work our aim is to characterize the leptopsira proteins that are able to bind to both regulatory proteins FH and C4BP. We will also investigate the role of plasminogen/plasmin in the complement evasion by Leptospire. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VALENCIA, Mónica Marcela Castiblanco. Interaction of Leptospira membrane proteins with human complement regulators Factor H and C4BP.. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.