Alternative animal as a model to study Paracoccidioides- host interaction: virulen...
| Grant number: | 13/10917-9 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate |
| Effective date (Start): | September 01, 2013 |
| Effective date (End): | December 31, 2016 |
| Field of knowledge: | Health Sciences - Pharmacy |
| Principal Investigator: | Maria José Soares Mendes Giannini |
| Grantee: | Liliana Scorzoni |
| Home Institution: | Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 15/14459-0 - Use of holograph optical trap: image system to study the adhesin function of Drechmeria coniospora 14-3-3 protein in Caenorhabditis elegans, BE.EP.PD |
Abstract The use of alternative animal models is increasingly spreading due to the ethical difficulties for in vivo test in mammals. Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) has been used to study the virulence of microorganisms. This organism has six types of phagocytic cells which play an important role in the defense system, the cells density in the haemolymph is not constant and can be used as a virulence parameter and the possibility of incubating larvae from 25 to 37 ° C makes the model even more versatile. Caenorhabditis elegans is sensitive to bacterial infection and fungal pathogens, is easy to maintain and reproduce in the laboratory, the presence of the immune system to recognize and eliminate pathogens has high genetic homology with vertebrates; besides, C. elegans has its genome completely known. The complex Paracoccidioides spp are dimorphic fungus and endemic throughout Latin America. Phylogenetic studies indicate the existence of three different phylogenetic species of Paracoccidioides which are able to infect humans: S1, S2 and PS3. Infection is by inhalation, and then the fungus chance for yeast morphology. The first organ to be affected is the lung and then the infection can spread to other tissues causing systemic mycosis. The fungus adhesion to host cells is a key factor for established the infection. Thus, different molecules have been described with adhesion function in the course of infection like Gp-43, enolase, 30kDa, GAPDH, malate synthase and triofosfatase isomerase. In this context, glycoprotein of 43 kDa and 30 kDa protein (14-3-3 family) has been widely studied. In this project, we intend to evaluate the in vivo virulence of different phylogenetic species belonging to the Paracoccidioides complex in animal alternative models: G. mellonella and C. elegans. Also evaluate the influence of treatments of glycoprotein of 43 kDa and 30 kDa protein and its antibodies in the survival of these animals and finally to evaluate the gene expression of Paracoccidioides adhesins during infection | |