Epitopes identification of recombinant antigen M for vaccine development against histoplasmosis in murine experimental model

• Grant number: 14/17293-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2014
• End date: November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
• Grantee: Cleison Ledesma Taira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorfic fungus, found ubiquitously in nature. The endemic area includes the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, Central and South America, in Brazil cases and microfoci have been reported more often in the south and southeastern regions. Histoplasmosis usually is a benign and self-limitin infection in immunocompetent patients; however in immunocompromised patients the infection has high gravity and serious risk of progress to disseminated form. The major antigens for H. capsulatum diagnosis are H and M antigens, and both cause humoral and T cell-mediated responses. The M antigen is a glycoprotein, which has been characterized as a catalase and is present in the cell wall of mycelial phase of H. capsulatum, suggesting that this protein is probably involved in the escape mechanism from oxidative stress, allowing the conversion of the fungus from mycelium (infectious form) to yeast (parasitic form). This antigen is the first precipitin, in acute histoplasmosis and also be present at all stages of disease, in serological tests. The potential of M antigen as a vaccine candidate has not been performed. We believe that specific epitopes identification for lymphocytes may generate new tools for use in the treatment of patients with histoplasmosis. (AU)

Academic Publications

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

TAIRA, Cleison Ledesma. Mapping of epitopes for development of vaccines from Histoplasma capsulatum M antigen.. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.