Identification and synthesis of enolase peptides Sporothrix schenckii as vaccine candidates in sporotrichosis

• Grant number: 15/09340-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Iracilda Zeppone Carlos
• Grantee: Deivys Leandro Portuondo Fuentes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/13228-0 - Evaluation of the amino acid modification, structural characterization and immunogenicity of S. schenckii enolase-derived P1-A and P3-A peptides for a sporotrichosis vaccine, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infection affecting humans and other mammals, caused by the Sporothrix schenckii species complex. The disease has a worldwide distribution, but is considered an endemic zoonotic mycosis in Brazil, mainly in the state of Rio de Janeiro and the metropolitan areas of São Paulo city. The antifungal treatment is very long and often associated to adverse effects indicating the demand for preventive or therapeutic strategies more effective and safe. One of the more promissory approaches would be the vaccination. To date, few antigens on the cell surface of S. schenckii has been sufficiently studied. The most known is the highly immunogenic gp70 kDa adhesion, since passive transfer of anti gp70 monoclonal antibody conferred protection in mice previously infected with the fungus. Meanwhile, a recent study by our group showed that serum from mice vaccinated with cell surface proteins of S. schenckii formulated with two immunological adjuvants presented immunoreactivity against a protein of 46 kDa predicted and identified as an enolase functioning as adhesin in S. schenckii as in S. brasiliensis. The passive transfer of immune sera in mice prior to infection with S. schenckii generated significant protection. Considering that enolase has not even been studied as a possible vaccine candidate against sporotrichosis, we propose to synthesize immunogenic peptides from this protein to obtain a synthetic vaccine against sporotrichosis and to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective capacity in murine infection model. All this in line with our previous studies observed in the PhD thesis.

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)

PORTUONDO, DEIVYS LEANDRO; BATISTA-DUHARTE, ALEXANDER; CARDENAS, CONSTANZA; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS S.; BORGES, JULIO CESAR; TELLEZ-MARTINEZ, DAMIANA; ANDREA SANTANA, PAULA; GAUNA, ADRIANA; MERCADO, LUIS; DE CASTILHO, BRUNA MATEUS; et al. A Sporothrix spp. enolase derived multi-epitope vaccine confers protective response in BALB/c mice challenged with Sporothrix brasiliensis. Microbial Pathogenesis, v. 166, p. 14-pg., 2022-04-26. (17/13228-0, 15/09340-4, 17/26774-3)

PORTUONDO, DEIVYS LEANDRO; DORES-SILVA, PAULO ROBERTO; FERREIRA, LUCAS SOUZA; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS S.; TELLEZ-MARTINEZ, DAMIANA; MARCOS, CAROLINE MARIA; DE AGUIAR LOESCH, MARIA LUIZA; GUZMAN, FANNY; GAVA, LISANDRA M.; BORGES, JULIO CESAR; et al. Immunization with recombinant enolase of Sporothrix spp. (rSsEno) confers effective protection against sporotrichosis in mice. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 9, NOV 20 2019. (17/13228-0, 17/26774-3, 15/09340-4)