Precision Oncology in Feline Lymphoma: Advancing Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches through IgH Annotation and Immune Repertoire Analysis

• Grant number: 24/17056-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 29, 2024
• End date: May 27, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Heidge Fukumasu
• Grantee: Talita Gabriela Luna Alves
• Supervisor: Sofia Kossida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Montpellier 2, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/09122-3 - Characterization of NDV armed with GM-CSF for oncolytic therapy of feline lymphomas, BP.MS

Abstract

Accurate measurement of immune repertoire sequence composition, diversity, and abundance is crucial for understanding repertoire responses in infections, vaccinations, and cancer immunology. This knowledge could also aid in identifying novel molecular targets, which can be helpful in terms of developing tools from the benefit of precision oncology for cats. The evaluation of immune repertoire studies in cats with lymphoma is hindered by the incomplete annotation of three immunoglobulin loci (IGH, IGK, IGL). Only one published paper addresses this issue, with no annotations for IGH locus. The evaluation of the immune repertoire is an important step for developing clonality assays for cats, such as PARR (PCR for Antigen Receptor Rearrangements) that are essential for diagnosing and monitoring response to treatment in cats with lymphoma. We hypothesize that the biocuration of the IGH locus will enhance immune repertoire analysis in cats with lymphoma treated with oncolytic NDV-based immunotherapy. This will be accomplished through collaboration with IMGT and their expertise in the biocuration of immunoglobulin (IG) and T-cell receptor genes (TR).