Evaluation of the effects of inflammation on the respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice.

• Grant number: 13/26052-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Leonor Sarno de Oliveira
• Grantee: Rubia Isler Mancuso
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is responsible for diseases that cause death of approximately 1 million children under 5 year old, worldwide. Usually, the bacterium colonizes the upper respiratory tract of healthy individuals establishing a commensal relationship with the host. The transmission occurs between individuals from this site. Occasionally, the pneumococcus can invade normally sterile sites causing illnesses such as pneumonia, septicemia, meningitis, otitis media and sinusitis. The colonization precedes invasive disease, which may occur in conditions of low immunity. In addition, pneumococcus expresses different virulence factors that act by promoting the adhesion of bacteria to the host cells or the evasion of the immune system. Some animal models are used to study the mechanisms of pathogenicity, host-pathogen interactions, or even for the study of new vaccines. In our laboratory, models of nasal colonization and invasive respiratory infection in mice, that serve these purposes, were established with different pneumococcal strains. Data from the literature and from our group suggest that tissue inflammation may play a role in the progression of pneumococcal infection in animal models. While a controlled inflammatory response seems to be definitive for the control of pneumococcal infection, exacerbated inflammation appears to contribute to the aggravation. In this project, we propose to study the effects of the acute inflammatory response in models of respiratory infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice. For this purpose, the models will be evaluated in the AIRmax and AIRmin mice strains, which were genetically selected for low and exacerbated acute inflammatory response, respectively.

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)

MANCUSO, RUBIA I.; MIYAJI, ELIANE N.; SILVA, CRISTIANE C. F.; PORTARO, FERNANDA V.; SOARES-SCHANOSKI, ALESSANDRA; RIBEIRO, ORLANDO G.; OLIVEIRA, MARIA LEONOR S.. Impaired expression of CXCL5 and matrix metalloproteinases in the lungs of mice with high susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE, v. 6, n. 1, p. 128-142, MAR 2018. (14/11087-2, 13/26052-7, 15/15364-3)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MANCUSO, Rubia Isler. Evaluation of the effects of inflammation on the respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice.. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.