Mucosal immunology exploration in the prospection of a vaccine prototype for genitourinary infections: directing the immune response to the prostate gland - preclinical study

• Grant number: 11/19288-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Cytology and Cell Biology
• Principal researcher: Hernandes Faustino de Carvalho
• Grantee: Juliete Aparecida Francisco da Silva
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/16150-6 - Androgen regulation, sinalization and cellular interactions in prostate development, physiology and regression, AP.TEM

Abstract

The prostate is an accessory gland of the male reproductive system, responsible for production and storage of prostatic fluid, which is disposed with the other components of semen during ejaculation. Much is known about the anatomy and physiology of the prostate, however, the composition, distribution and function of specific immune cells in this gland, as well as its variation in different physiological and pathological situations is an unexplored chapter of the innate and adaptive immune response. The existence of genitourinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases may predispose the patient and even be responsible for initiating various pathological complications that affect the prostate, and prostatic inflammation can trigger the development of other prostate diseases, especially benign hyperplasia and cancer. Thus the objectives of this work are: to map and quantify the cells of the innate and adaptive immune system in healthy prostate gland; use of mucosal immunology to evaluate whether the oral stimulation is effective to increase the level of secretory IgA and IgG in the prostate and systemic compared with nasal immunization, and can develop a vaccine to prevent against future infections, and prostate that can be targeted to tumor cells.