Interaction of two Leptospira interrogans proteins to plasma and extracellular matrix components of the host

• Grant number: 16/04295-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lucia Tabet Oller Do Nascimento
• Grantee: Maria Fernanda Cavenague Pereira
• Home Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/50981-0 - Search for surface proteins among the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans: functional and immunological characterization to understanding mechanisms involved in the bacterial pathogenesis, AP.TEM

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a widely distributed zoonosis of human and veterinary concern. In urban environments, rodents are the main reservoirs of the disease by allowing the colonization of the proximal renal tubules by leptospires, shedding them via urine. Up to date, there is no effective vaccine. The identification of conserved outer membrane proteins that could interact with the host is the main goal of research to elucidate the pathogenicity mechanisms. These proteins could also function as a target to the host immune system. Several groups' pursuit the identification and characterization of surface proteins that is antigenic and conserved among various serovars of Leptospira interrogans. Thus, this project aims to clone and express two predicted lipoproteins from Leptospira, encoded by the genes LIC13259 and LIC10592. The recombinant proteins will be purified by metal-chelating chromatography and injected in mice for evaluating their immunogenic activity and obtaining immune sera. These sera will be employed for evaluating the presence of the native proteins in protein extracts of different serovars of Leptospira spp., for accessing their conservation and cellular location. The recombinant proteins will be evaluated for their reactivity with antibodies in human serum samples in confirmed cases of leptospirosis and their capability of interacting with human extracellular matrix and plasma components, and by so, evaluated in the participation of the proteins in the adhesion process to the host.

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)

CAVENAGUE, MARIA F.; TEIXEIRA, ALINE F.; FILHO, ANTONIO S.; SOUZA, GISELE O.; VASCONCELLOS, SILVIO A.; HEINEMANN, MARCOS B.; NASCIMENTO, ANA L. T. O. Characterization of a novel protein of Leptospira interrogans exhibiting plasminogen, vitronectin and complement binding properties. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, v. 309, n. 2, p. 116-129, MAR 2019. Web of Science Citations: 2.

NASCIMENTO FILHO, EDSON G.; VIEIRA, MONICA L.; TEIXEIR, ALINE F.; SANTOS, JADEMILSON C.; FERNANDES, LUIS G. V.; PASSALIA, FELIPE J.; DAROZ, BRENDA B.; ROSSINI, AMANDA; KOCHI, LEANDRO T.; CAVENAGUE, MARIA F.; PIMENTA, DANIEL C.; NASCIMENTO, ANA L. T. O. Proteomics as a tool to understand Leptospira physiology and virulence: Recent advances, challenges and clinical implications. JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS, v. 180, n. SI, p. 80-87, MAY 30 2018. Web of Science Citations: 1.