Influence of galectin-3 on course of infection by Cryptococcus neoformans

• Grant number: 16/25167-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal researcher: Fausto Bruno dos Reis Almeida
• Grantee: Caroline Patini de Rezende
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/03322-7 - Role of galectin-3 in the Cryptococcus neoformans infection, AP.JP

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is the causative agent of cryptococcosis and a major pathogen for immunosuppresed individuals. C. neoformans represents a unique model in cell biology studies since it is the only eukaryotic pathogen with a polysaccharide capsule. Futhermore, produces extracellular vesicles containing it major virulence factor. These vesicles cross the cell wall to reach the extracellular space, where the polysaccharide is supposedly used for capsule growth or delivered into host tissues. Galectin-3, a glycan-binding protein, control a broad spectrum of immunological functions, including cell adhesion, migration, activation, apoptosis and cytokine secretion within innate and adaptive immune compartments. Under the supervision of Dr. Arturo Casadevall in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, our group have verified that galectin-3 has lytic effect on extracellular vesicles of C. neoformans and we also have detected high serum levels of galectin-3 in the course of cryptococcosis murine experimental. These observations motivate the proposal to study the role of galectin-3 in the course of infection by C. neoformans. More specifically, we propose to do the following aims: (1) to compare the survival of C. neoformans infection between wild and knockout mice (galectin-3 KO), (2) to investigate the role of galectin-3 in the course of C. neoformans infection in mice through histhological and immunological parameters, (3) to analyze comparatively the gene profile of the host innate immune response during cryptococcosis, by real-time PCR arrangement (PCR Array), the modulation of genes related to response antifungal, as well as in addition to compare with the genic modulation of galectin-3 KO mice infected by C. neoformans. Our expectation is that galectin-3 may be responsible for important roles on the infection process by C. neoformans infection. (AU)

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)

REZENDE, CAROLINE PATINI; BRITO, PATRICIA KELLEN MARTINS OLIVEIRA; DA SILVA, THIAGO APARECIDO; PESSONI, ANDRE MOREIRA; RAMALHO, LEANDRA NAIRA ZAMBELLI; ALMEIDA, FAUSTO. Influence of Galectin-3 on the Innate Immune Response during Experimental Cryptococcosis. JOURNAL OF FUNGI, v. 7, n. 6 JUN 2021. Web of Science Citations: 0.

REZENDE, CAROLINE PATINI; MARTINS OLIVEIRA BRITO, PATRICIA KELLEN; PESSONI, ANDRE MOREIRA; DA SILVA, THIAGO APARECIDO; GOLDMAN, GUSTAVO H.; ALMEIDA, FAUSTO. Altered expression of genes related to innate antifungal immunity in the absence of galectin-3. VIRULENCE, v. 12, n. 1, p. 981-988, JAN 1 2021. Web of Science Citations: 0.

MARTINS OLIVEIRA-BRITO, PATRICIA KELLEN; REZENDE, CAROLINE PATINI; ALMEIDA, FAUSTO; ROQUE-BARREIRA, MARIA CRISTINA; DA SILVA, THIAGO APARECIDO. iNOS/Arginase-1 expression in the pulmonary tissue over time during Cryptococcus gattii infection. Innate Immunity, v. 26, n. 2 AUG 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.