Structural bioinformatics and immuno-informatics approaches in the design of a multi-epitope vaccine against Alzheimer's Disease

• Grant number: 20/15539-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2021
• End date: March 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Giuliatti
• Grantee: Pedro Soares Neves Neto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is one of the major factors that stimulate dementia, consisting of the condition more common than the origin of the symptom. Alzheimer's impacts the lives of millions of individuals on the planet, causing problems in memory, reasoning and communication. Current treatment alternatives act only to contain symptoms, with no impact on disease progression. New therapeutic and preventive possibilities are being investigated to prevent disease progression in patients. Immunotherapy has been suggested as a prevention proposal for Alzheimer's disease, since pharmacotherapy is insufficient and diagnoses before symptoms are difficult, due to the lack of a definitive biomarker. In this work we intend to address how the computational methods applied in the construction of a vaccine can be used to assist in the possible treatments of Alzheimer's disease with a focus on the gene products related to the disease. We intend to use different bioinformatics methods applied to different groups of molecules to assess which are the best possible candidates for building an immunizer. Understanding these determinants is very important to assist in mechanisms that provide the best immunogenic response. (AU)