Objective
The aim is to contribute to improvement of livestock productivity in DC through limitation of trypanosome-associated pathology and accurate diagnostics of trypanosome infections. It is proposed to develop immunisation strategies against pathogenic factors of trypanosomes (anti-disease vaccine). In a previous INCO project we focused on congopain, an immunosuppressive cysteine protease (CP) of Trypanosoma congolense. As the effects of immunisation with congopain are limited, association with other antigens is required. The current proposals expand the initial work to screening and characterisation of other pathogenic molecules, especially those responsible for anaemia. A number of other trypanosome proteases - CPs, serine and metallo- proteases - require characterisation as to their biological roles in the parasite and the host. Trypanosomes also contain protease inhibitors, some of which have immunomodulatory effects. They may thus be manipulated, directly or in association with their partner enzymes, to modulate the disease. Other, non-proteolytic, factors have been identified. The GPI (glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol) anchor of the T. brucei Variant Surface Glycoprotein is a major inducer of TNF, a cytokine that mediates anaemia. Finally, recent development in the field of proteomics and progress in the genome mapping of trypanosomes provide tools to study new pathogenic pathways. In order to improve diagnosis of the disease, procedures for antibody detection will be developed and/or validated. They are based on recombinant technology, which circumvent problems associated with the current use of parasite extracts. Recombinant and synthetic peptides from CPs and heat shock proteins, both previously identified as major antigens, as well as newly described molecules, will be assessed for their diagnostic potential. Techniques for detection of parasite antigens in the host tissues will be re-examined using recently developed monoclonal antibodies.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunisation
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologypathophysiology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepathology
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinehematology
Keywords
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-INCO-DEV-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
PARIS
France