Development of DNA aptamers against pathogenic multidrug resistant bacteria

• Grant number: 18/09971-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Figueiredo Costa
• Grantee: Marina Farrel Côrtes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bacterial infections are a major cause of diseases in humans with high mortality rates. Rapid identification of infections is critical, as these infections can be highly contagious and difficult to treat, such as hospital infections. Hospital infections present high morbidity and mortality in addition to high inpatient costs. Antimicrobial resistance is an important factor that justifies these high rates since the treatment of infections caused by multiresistant bacteria such as Klebsiella and Acinetobacter poses a great challenge to public health due to the lack of therapeutic options. In this context, the development of rapid, reliable and economically feasible detection methodologies, and the need for the development of new therapeutic alternatives, becomes extremely necessary. One of the promising solutions to such problems may be the development of aptamers of nucleic acids capable of interacting specifically with bacteria. These aptamers can be used for specific recognition of infectious agents as well as for blocking their functions. Currently, SELEX technology allows the selection of aptamers and is flexible enough to target any protein of particular interest or an entire bacterial cell by identifying aptamers without their prior knowledge. There are also several ways to increase the biological stability of aptamers by chemical modifications. These data indicate that, in the near future, aptamer-based technology may become a real alternative to traditional approaches to the diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases.

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)

LAZARI, CAROLINA DOS SANTOS; RAMUNDO, MARIANA SEVERO; TEN-CATEN, FELIPE; BRESSAN, CLARISSE S.; DE FILIPPIS, ANA MARIA BISPO; MANULI, ERIKA REGINA; DE MORAES, ISABELLA; PEREIRA, GEOVANA MARIA; CORTES, MARINA FARREL; CANDIDO, DARLAN DA SILVA; et al. Clinical markers of post-Chikungunya chronic inflammatory joint disease: A Brazilian cohort. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 17, n. 1, p. 17-pg., 2023-01-01. (18/14389-0, 16/20597-0, 18/09971-2)