Effect of silver nanoparticles and RNA inhibitor peptide in experimental septic arthritis caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

• Grant number: 13/09738-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: October 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza da Cunha
• Grantee: Thais Graziela Donegá França
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Septic arthritis (SA), also known as infectious arthritis, is an inflammatory disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus which compromises mainly the joints. To contribute to the development of new treatments for infectious diseases caused by S. aureus, this study aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and a RNA inhibitor peptide (RIP) in experimental septic arthritis. Initially, the effect of AgNPs and RIP will be investigated on biofilm and/or superantigen producing S. aureus strains by RT-PCR. Further, male C57BL/6 mice will be inoculated with these strains to evaluate their arthritogenicity. Body weight, clinical score and disease incidence will be daily evaluated and, after euthanasia, bacterial load evaluation and joint histopathological analysis will be performed. Lastly, the therapeutic effect of AgNPs and RIP in experimental septic arthritis and cellular immune response will be evaluated. For this, animals will be submitted to septic arthritis followed by treatment with AgNPs or RIP. Body weight, clinical score and disease incidence will be daily evaluated and, after euthanasia, joint histopathological features will be analyzed and bacterial load and cytokines production will be evaluated.