Use of Zika virus recombinant proteins for development of diagnostic methods and vaccines

• Grant number: 16/05570-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date until: August 01, 2016
• End date until: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira
• Grantee: Lennon Ramos Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/18205-4 - Identification and characterization of peptides capable to interfere with the infection mechanisms of dengue and zika viruses, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) belongs to Flaviviridae family and the genus flavivirus, like other emerging viruses such as dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV), transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes. The ZIKV infection is acute and self-limiting, however, severe manifestations such as Guillain-barrée syndrome and the possibility of development of microcephaly in infants emphasize the importance of this arbovirus. There are no effective treatments or vaccines available to the population as well as specific serodiagnosis methods for this infection. In this sense, the search for antigens which have low homology with other flavivirus allow the development of specific serologic tests, and are potential vaccine antigens. Therefore, this project aims to obtain recombinant forms of part of envelope protein (E) and non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of ZIKV which have low homology with other flaviviruses. Once obtained, the proteins will be used for development of specific serologic tests and vaccine formulations capable of eliciting protective immunity against the virus. To this end, domain III of the E protein, and a fragment of NS1 protein (Delta-NS1) of ZIKV will be expressed in a prokaryotic system and purified by affinity chromatography technique. The recombinant antigens will be used to standardize serodiagnosis assays (ELISA, Western blot and immunofluorescence) discriminatory for ZIKV being used specific hyperimmune sera to other Flavivirus (including YFV and DENV), as well, cross-reactivity controls. The EDIII and NS1 ZIKA antigens also will be assessed for their vaccine potential, which will be use in the composition of formulations to be tested in mice model and evaluate the intensity and functionality of the immune responses, as well as the protective potential in a challenge assay. Thus, the knowledge generated from this work will contribute to the development of different methods of specific serodiagnosis and effective vaccine strategies against ZIKV. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(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)

PEREIRA, SAMUEL SANTOS; ANDREATA-SANTOS, ROBERT; PEREIRA, LENNON RAMOS; SOARES, CAMILA PEREIRA; FELIX, ALVINA CLARA; JUNGMANN CARDOSO DE ANDRADE, PATRICIA DE MELLO; DURIGON, EDISON LUIS; ROMANO, CAMILA MALTA; DE SOUZA FERREIRA, LUIS CARLOS. NS1-based ELISA test efficiently detects dengue infections without cross-reactivity with Zika virus. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v. 112, p. 202-204, SEP 2021. (17/09661-0, 16/05570-8, 16/20045-7)

PEREIRA, LENNON RAMOS; DOS SANTOS ALVES, RUBENS PRINCE; SALES, NATIELY SILVA; ANDREATA-SANTOS, ROBERT; VENCESLAU-CARVALHO, ALEXIA ADRIANNE; PEREIRA, SAMUEL SANTOS; CASTRO-AMARANTE, MARIA FERNANDA; RODRIGUES-JESUS, MONICA JOSIANE; DE PINHO FAVARO, MARIANNA TEIXEIRA; CHURA-CHAMBI, ROSA MARIA; et al. Enhanced Immune Responses and Protective Immunity to Zika Virus Induced by a DNA Vaccine Encoding a Chimeric NS1 Fused With Type 1 Herpes Virus gD Protein. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, v. 2, p. 14-pg., 2020-12-03. (14/17595-0, 16/20045-7, 16/23560-0, 18/14459-9, 16/05570-8, 18/08199-4, 17/09661-0, 16/14344-1)

PEREIRA, LENNON RAMOS; VICENTIN, ELAINE CRISTINA MATOS; PEREIRA, SARA ARAUJO; MAEDA, DENICAR LINA NASCIMENTO FABRIS; ALVES, RUBENS PRINCE DOS SANTOS; ANDREATA-SANTOS, ROBERT; SOUSA, FRANCIELLE TRAMONTINI GOMES DE; YAMAMOTO, MARCIO MASSAO; CASTRO-AMARANTE, MARIA FERNANDA; FAVARO, MARIANNA TEIXEIRA DE PINHO; et al. Intradermal Delivery of Dendritic Cell-Targeting Chimeric mAbs Genetically Fused to Type 2 Dengue Virus Nonstructural Protein 1. VACCINES, v. 8, n. 4, DEC 2020. (13/26942-2, 14/04303-0, 16/05570-8, 13/01702-9, 13/11442-4, 14/17595-0, 13/01690-0)

ANDREATA-SANTOS, ROBERT; DOS SANTOS ALVES, RUBENS PRINCE; PEREIRA, SARA ARAUJO; PEREIRA, LENNON RAMOS; DE FREITAS, CARLA LONGO; PEREIRA, SAMUEL SANTOS; VENCESLAU-CARVALHO, ALEXIA ADRIANNE; CASTRO-AMARANTE, MARIA FERNANDA; PINHO FAVARO, MARIANNA TEIXEIRA; MATHIAS-SANTOS, CAMILA; et al. Transcutaneous Administration of Dengue Vaccines. Viruses-Basel, v. 12, n. 5, MAY 2020. (16/05570-8, 12/50362-3, 16/20045-7, 14/17595-0, 16/23560-0, 15/02352-7)

PRUDENCIO, CARLOS ROBERTO; DA COSTA, VIVALDO GOMES; ROCHA, LETICIA BARBOZA; DA COSTA, HERNAN HERMES MONTEIRO; ORTS, DIEGO JOSE BELATO; SANTOS, FELIPE ROCHA DA SILVA; RAHAL, PAULA; LINO, NIKOLAS ALEXANDER BORSATO; DA CONCEICAO, PAMELA JOYCE PREVIDELLI; BITTAR, CINTIA; et al. Identification of Zika Virus NS1-Derived Peptides with Potential Applications in Serological Tests. Viruses-Basel, v. 15, n. 3, p. 20-pg., 2023-03-01. (16/20045-7, 16/16188-7, 17/50333-7, 16/23560-0, 15/17178-2, 16/05570-8, 17/24769-2)

DE CASTRO-AMARANTE, MARIA FERNANDA; PEREIRA, SAMUEL SANTOS; PEREIRA, LENNON RAMOS; SANTOS, LUCAS SOUZA; VENCESLAU-CARVALHO, ALEXIA ADRIANNE; MARTINS, EDUARDO GIMENES; BALAN, ANDREA; FERREIRA, LUIS CARLOS DE SOUZA. The Anti-Dengue Virus Peptide DV2 Inhibits Zika Virus Both In Vitro and In Vivo. Viruses-Basel, v. 15, n. 4, p. 11-pg., 2023-04-01. (18/20162-9, 16/20045-7, 22/01034-5, 18/14459-9, 16/05570-8)

Academic Publications

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

PEREIRA, Lennon Ramos. Use of Zika virus recombinant proteins for development of diagnostic methods and vaccines.. 2021. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.