Characterization of a lymphocyte inhibitor from Aedes aegypti saliva

• Grant number: 13/20524-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: February 10, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Anderson de Sá Nunes
• Grantee: Bruna Bizzarro
• Supervisor: José Marcos Chaves Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda (NIH), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/11816-9 - Immunofunctional characterization of a lymphocyte inhibitor in Aedes aegypti saliva, BP.DR

Abstract

T lymphocytes play a fundamental role in the adaptive immune response against pathogens by destroying infected cells, secreting cytokines that help the activation of other cells, and regulating the activity of these cells. On the other hand, they are also involved in the pathology of certain diseases such as autoimmunity, hypersensitivity reactions, transplant rejection and lymphomas. Immunosuppressive therapies are the main alternative to the resolution or control of such diseases, based on their modulatory, inhibitory or killing properties on T lymphocytes. Based on this concept, we have identified a modulatory activity present in the saliva of the mosquito Aedes aegypti on T lymphocytes. The goal of the present PhD project, supported by FAPESP (2012/11816-9), is to characterize the modulator responsible for this activity. In order to complement the results achieved in the first year of the project (submitted in the 1st project report), we established a collaborative agreement with Dr. José Marcos Ribeiro and Dr. Eric Calvo, researchers from NIAID/NIH - USA with strong expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology and bioinformatics analyzes. Thus, we are applying for the international FAPESP fellowship (BEPE), to support us during the one-year staying at the Institution. We intend to elucidate the identity of the salivary lymphocyte modulator, determine the active site responsible for its biological role and investigate the mechanisms involved on these activities. (AU)