Project description
Biomimetic mucus gel in the development of mucosal vaccine and restoration
Farmed fish is an important source of dietary proteins and nutrients. All fish surfaces are covered with a mucus layer, making it a model of choice for mucosal research. Mucins (MUC) are the glycoproteins of mucosal surfaces, providing lubrication and protection against pathogens. Chitosan (CS) is an amino polysaccharide studied for the treatment of MUC pathologies. The EU-funded cubiform project aims to evaluate a biomimetic mucus gel (BMG) for mucosal vaccination and restoration for farmed fish, and design CS-based nanodevices for loading in BMG applications. The objective is to characterise BMG effects on the metabolic, phagocytic activities, and the viability of immunocompetent cells for optimisation of an effective mucosal treatment.
Objective
This Project aims to evaluate a biomimetic mucus gel (BMG) for its use as mucosal vaccine and mucosal restoration for farmed fish. In addition, through a joint experimental and computational approach, rationalizing the design of chitosan (CS)-based nanodevices (ND) to load in BMG to apply on both healthy and disrupted mucosal surfaces. The aim of this project is to develop a treatment for improving animal health and welfare that are important goals in blue economy . The research work will be developed by the applicant, Dr. Collado González, in the group of Prof. María Ángeles Esteban (supervisor) at the University of Murcia (UM, host).
Farmed fish constitutes an essential way for providing dietary proteins and nutrients and they are used as a medical research model. In 2016 in EU, aquaculture resulted in about 75000 jobs and 1.3 million tonnes of aquatic animals which resulted in a gross value added of €2 billion in 2017. In fish, all surfaces are covered with mucus layer that is connected to the mucosal immunity. Mucins (MUC) are glycoproteins present at any mucosal surface . Among other functions, MUC increase lubricity of the mucosa and avoid infection by pathogens. CS refers to a family of aminopolysaccharides that have been proposed for the treatment of pathologies related to MUC. The characterization of the effects of the BMG on the metabolic and phagocytic activities as well as the viability of immune system cells will allow to optimize the BMGs to develop an effective mucosal treatment. A key issue in the development of applications in the field is that MUC and CS are families of flexible polymers with high variability in their properties and behaviour, reason why their interactions at the molecular level are difficult to unravel and not fully understood. Elucidating the main physicochemical forces behind such interactions will allow the optimization of transmucosal CS-based ND.
Fields of science
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheries
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepathology
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
30003 Murcia
Spain