Prospection of new epitopes antigenic from P. lutzii isolate with vaccine potential

• Grant number: 19/20622-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: November 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
• Grantee: Leandro Buffoni Roque da Silva
• Supervisor: Joshua D. Nosanchuk
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/25171-6 - Prospection of new epitopes with vaccine potential in the control of experimental infection by Paracoccidioides lutzii, BP.PD

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is one of the most important systemic mycoses caused by the thermally dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides spp. comparing other diseases like North American Blastomycosis, Histoplasmosis and, Coccidioidomycosis. The fungus of genus Paracoccidioides is usually found in the south of Mexico, Central and South America. The more common countries that it is found are Brazil, Argentine, Colombia and, Venezuela. Brazil is the main endemic country, presenting 80% of the cases of all Latin America countries. Recent research in Brazil shows an increase in the number of cases and death in the new agricultural boards. The treatment for Paracoccidioidomycosis is antifungal drugs but, due to the long-time period of treatment, often, it is not completed causing the disease relapse and sequel. Currently, our group is studying a vaccine proposal using a peptide of 15 amino acids called Peptide 10 (P10) obtained from gp43 that is a 43kDa glycoprotein, which is an immunodominant antigen expressed during infection that induces a strong antibody response and is being proposed as a serological marker. The antigen is from the Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and is a great vaccine candidate for use in patient studies. However, the same sequence of P10 show an important mutation in the amino acids sequence in the P. lutzii, which makes it impossible to use P10 to control infections with P. lutzii. Thus, prospection of new epitopes to be used with the potential vaccine against this mycosis are being studied, considering that the disease is a very important public health problem in our country. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(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)

EMIDIO, ELUZIA C. P.; URAN J, MARTHA E.; SILVA, LEANDRO B. R.; DIAS, LUCAS S.; DOPRADO, MARIANA; NOSANCHUK, JOSHUA D.; TABORDA, CARLOS PELLESCHI. Melanin as a Virulence Factor in Different Species of Genus Paracoccidioides. JOURNAL OF FUNGI, v. 6, n. 4, DEC 2020. (16/08730-6, 18/25171-6, 19/20622-2)

DA SILVA, LEANDRO B. R.; TABORDA, CARLOS P.; NOSANCHUK, JOSHUA D.. Advances in Fungal Peptide Vaccines. JOURNAL OF FUNGI, v. 6, n. 3, SEP 2020. (16/08730-6, 19/20622-2, 18/25171-6)

LIU, SICHEN; ZAMITH-MIRANDA, DANIEL; ALMEIDA-PAES, RODRIGO; DA SILVA, LEANDRO BUFFONI ROQUE; NACHARAJU, PARIMALA; NOSANCHUK, JOSHUA D.. Nitric oxide-loaded nano- and microparticle platforms serving as potential new antifungal therapeutics. FUNGAL BIOLOGY, v. 127, n. 7-8, p. 7-pg., 2023-07-01. (21/13614-3, 19/20622-2)

SILVA, LEANDRO B. R.; TAIRA, CLEISON L.; CLEARE, LEVI G.; MARTINS, MICHELE; JUNQUEIRA, MAGNO; NOSANCHUK, JOSHUA D.; TABORDA, CARLOS P.. Identification of Potentially Therapeutic Immunogenic Peptides From Paracoccidioides lutzii Species. FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, v. 12, MAY 11 2021. (19/20622-2, 18/25171-6, 16/08730-6)