Study of the suppressor and effector mechanisms induced by B lymphocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells interaction with t cells in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with natalizumab

• Grant number: 13/00837-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Leonilda Maria Barbosa dos Santos
• Grantee: Alliny Carolina Dionete Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Therapeutic gaps and the low efficiency of immunemodulator drugs have driven to new studies looking forward to develop new and more specific therapeutic strategies to treat Multiple Sclerosis. The natalizumab binds to the ±4 subunit of the integrins ±4²1 and ±4²7, which are expressed in the cell membrane of T and B-lymphocytes. This block impairs the endothelial receptors like VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 to bind to these integrins and the subsequent transmigration throughout the blood brain barrier to the CNS. Consequently, it causes an increase of the relative number of circulating T and B-lymphocytes in the blood of patients with MS. Our project aims to study the effector and suppressor functions of B-lymphocytes and of the plasmacytoid dendritic cells after their activation with agonists of TLR 9, since both subsets express those receptors. Our objective is to verify if these cells suffer functional changes, as well as the interaction of T CD4 lymphocytes during the treatment with the natalizumab. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

MORAES, ADRIEL S.; BOLDRINI, VINICIUS O.; DIONETE, ALLINY C.; ANDRADE, MARILIA D.; LONGHINI, ANA LEDA F.; SANTOS, IRENE; LIMA, AMANDA D. R.; SILVA, VERONICA A. P. G.; DIAS CARNEIRO, RAFAEL P. C.; QUINTILIANO, RAPHAEL P. S.; et al. Decreased Neurofilament L Chain Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Tolerogenic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Natalizumab-Treated Multiple Sclerosis Patients - Brief Research Report. FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE, v. 15, JUL 26 2021. (12/09879-2, 14/26431-0, 13/00837-8)