Identification of leptospiral antigens recognized by gamma/delta T cells as target for development of next generation vaccines

• Grant number: 19/05466-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): May 31, 2019
• Effective date (End): May 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lucia Tabet Oller do Nascimento
• Grantee: Aline Rodrigues Florêncio Teixeira
• Supervisor: Cynthia L. Baldwin
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass Amherst), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/11541-0 - Evaluation of the vaccine potential of antigenic fractions obtained in Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni using hamsters as an animal model, BP.PD

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a systemic disease caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The disease is considered a worldwide zoonosis and a major public health problem, and thus, the development of a vaccine is critical. Cuba, France and China have licensed vaccines for humans, but these formulations are based on inactivated leptospires, presenting a series drawback, such as serovar-dependence and T-independent immune response. Advances in the recombinant DNA technology and genome sequences have contributed to the identification of vaccine candidates. However, attempts at developing recombinant proteins or peptides-based vaccines to stimulate conventional alpha/beta T cell to provide cellular immune responses, have been mostly unsuccessful. Activation of nonconventional T cells such as gamma/delta T cells emerges as an alternative, since it has been shown that both human and bovine gamma/delta T cells are able to proliferate and produce IFN-gamma in response to Leptospira. WC1 molecules located on the surface of gamma/delta T seems act as gamma/delta TCR coreceptor and pattern recognition receptors interacting directly with bacterial components. However, the leptospiral component involved in this interaction is unknown. The investigation of antigens that may be recognized by gamma/delta T cells is fundamental for development of next generation vaccines. We believe that due to the expertise of Dr. Baldwin in this area, a significant contribution will be achieved in the field of Leptospira and leptospirosis. (AU)