Involvement of PD1 in the modulation of the immune response induced by experimental infection with leishmania braziliensis

• Grant number: 24/17736-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Program to Stimulate Scientific Vocations
• Start date: January 13, 2025
• End date: March 04, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: João Santana da Silva
• Grantee: Joana Salgado Pedroza
• Host Institution: Plataforma de Pesquisa e Medicina Translacional. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz). Ministério da Saúde (Brasil). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease of global relevance caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. The immune response to this infection is complex and involves the interaction of multiple cytokines and immune cells. Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is a co-inhibitory molecule expressed on T cells that regulates the immune response and plays a crucial role in maintaining immune tolerance and preventing tissue damage. Recent studies indicate that the PD-1/PD-L1 axis contributes to T cell exhaustion during chronic infections, such as leishmaniasis. This project aims to investigate the role of PD-1 in the immune response during experimental infection with Leishmania braziliensis, one of the main species responsible for the cutaneous form of leishmaniasis in Latin America. Understanding the role of PD-1 in this context is expected to open new perspectives for therapeutic interventions in leishmaniasis.