Evaluation of the cell-mediated immune response dendritic conditions in Chromoblastomycosis

• Grant number: 17/10790-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2017
• End date: June 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Sandro Rogerio de Almeida
• Grantee: Larissa Neves Monteiro Paulo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chromoblastomycosis is a subcutaneous disease of high incidence, considered a challenge by many professionals, because they do not have efficient or prophylactic treatment. One of the causative agent of this disease is Fonsecaea pedrosoi. Due to the chronicity of infections, the cure rates are low, in general, it occurs in the foot region, and lower frequency in hands and arms. The presence of a smooth surface papular lesion and erythematous that gradually increases in size and becomes desquamative. The mechanisms immunology involved in the prevention and control of F. pedrosoi infection are still unknown. Some studies have focused on the fungus-host interaction, showing that the activation of Th1 type cellular immune response, is the most important in the control of infection. In recent years, several aspects of dendritic cell biology have been therefore, new treatment and vaccination strategies using these cells have been employed. The rational for the use of dendritic cells as the main point for the development of vaccination and immunotherapy strategies is based on the biological processes of these cells, to have the processes of capture, processing and presentation of antigens to "naive" T lymphocytes, which are highly efficient, resulting in a response specific immune response, interacting with innate and adaptive immune systems. Given the epidemiology of Chromoblastomycosis in Brazil and the lack of knowledge about the parasitoid we propose to study the interaction of dendritic cells against conidia of F. pedrosoi and develop a vaccination strategy based on the properties of these cells pulsed with the fungus. (AU)