EDECIO CUNHA NETO
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina - Docente
Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
LIM/60 - Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina - Líder
Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
LIM/60 - Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina - Líder
10 resultados
Resultados de Busca
Agora exibindo 1 - 10 de 10
- Polymorphism in the Alpha Cardiac Muscle Actin 1 Gene Is Associated to Susceptibility to Chronic Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy(2013) FRADE, Amanda Farage; TEIXEIRA, Priscila Camilo; IANNI, Barbara Maria; PISSETTI, Cristina Wide; SABA, Bruno; WANG, Lin Hui Tzu; KURAMOTO, Andreia; NOGUEIRA, Luciana Gabriel; BUCK, Paula; DIAS, Fabricio; GINIAUX, Helene; LLORED, Agnes; ALVES, Sthefanny; SCHMIDT, Andre; DONADI, Eduardo; MARIN-NETO, Jose Antonio; HIRATA, Mario; SAMPAIO, Marcelo; FRAGATA, Abilio; BOCCHI, Edimar Alcides; STOLF, Antonio Noedir; FIORELLI, Alfredo Inacio; SANTOS, Ronaldo Honorato Barros; RODRIGUES, Virmondes; PEREIRA, Alexandre Costa; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; CHEVILLARD, ChristopheAims: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is endemic in Latin America, and may lead to a life-threatening inflammatory dilated, chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC). One third of T. cruzi-infected individuals progress to CCC while the others remain asymptomatic (ASY). A possible genetic component to disease progression was suggested by familial aggregation of cases and the association of markers of innate and adaptive immunity genes with CCC development. Since mutations in multiple sarcomeric genes, including alpha-cardiac actin (ACTC1) have been involved in hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy, we investigated the involvement of the ACTC1 gene in CCC pathogenesis. Methods and Results: We conducted a proteomic and genetic study on a Brazilian study population. The genetic study was done on a main cohort including 118 seropositive asymptomatic subjects and 315 cases and the replication was done on 36 asymptomatic and 102 CCC cases. ACTC1 protein and mRNA levels were lower in myocardial tissue from patients with end-stage CCC than those found in hearts from organ donors. Genotyping a case-control cohort of CCC and ASY subjects for all informative single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the ACTC1 gene identified rs640249 SNP, located at the 5' region, as associated to CCC. Associations are borderline after correction for multiple testing. Correlation and haplotype analysis led to the identification of a susceptibility haplotype. Functional assays have shown that the rs640249A/C polymorphism affects the binding of transcriptional factors in the promoter regions of the ACTC1 gene. Confirmation of the detected association on a larger independent replication cohort will be useful. Conclusions: Genetic variations at the ACTC1 gene may contribute to progression to chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy among T. cruzi-infected patients, possibly by modulating transcription factor binding to ACTC1 promoter regions.
- HIV Envelope Trimer Specific Immune Response Is Influenced by Different Adjuvant Formulations and Heterologous Prime-Boost(2016) APOSTOLICO, Juliana de Souza; BOSCARDIN, Silvia Beatriz; YAMAMOTO, Marcio Massao; OLIVEIRA-FILHO, Jethe Nunes de; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; ROSA, Daniela SantoroThe development of a preventive vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection is the most efficient method to control the epidemic. The ultimate goal is to develop a vaccine able to induce specific neutralizing, non-neutralizing antibodies and cellular mediated immunity (CMI). Humoral and CMI responses can be directed to glycoproteins that are normally presented as a trimeric spike on the virus surface (gp140). Despite safer, subunit vaccines are normally less immunogenic/effective and need to be delivered together with an adjuvant. The choice of a suitable adjuvant can induce effective humoral and CMI that utterly lead to full protection against disease. In this report, we established a hierarchy of adjuvant potency on humoral and CMI when admixed with the recombinant HIV gp140 trimer. We show that vaccination with gp140 in the presence of different adjuvants can induce high-affinity antibodies, follicular helper T cells and germinal center B cells. The data show that poly (I:C) is the most potent adjuvant to induce specific CMI responses evidenced by IFN-gamma production and CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that combining some adjuvants like MPL plus Alum and MPL plus MDP exert additive effects that impact on the magnitude and quality of humoral responses while mixing MDP with poly (I:C) or with R848 had no impact on total IgG titers but highly impact IgG subclass. In addition, heterologous DNA prime-protein boost yielded higher IgG titers when compare to DNA alone and improved the quality of humoral response when compare to protein immunization as evidenced by IgG1/IgG2a ratio. The results presented in this paper highlight the importance of selecting the correct adjuvant-antigen combination to potentiate desired cells for optimal stimulation.
- Broad and Cross-Clade CD4(+) T-Cell Responses Elicited by a DNA Vaccine Encoding Highly Conserved and Promiscuous HIV-1 M-Group Consensus Peptides(2012) ALMEIDA, Rafael Ribeiro; ROSA, Daniela Santoro; RIBEIRO, Susan Pereira; SANTANA, Vinicius Canato; KALLAS, Esper Georges; SIDNEY, John; SETTE, Alessandro; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, EdecioT-cell based vaccine approaches have emerged to counteract HIV-1/AIDS. Broad, polyfunctional and cytotoxic CD4(+) T-cell responses have been associated with control of HIV-1 replication, which supports the inclusion of CD4(+) T-cell epitopes in vaccines. A successful HIV-1 vaccine should also be designed to overcome viral genetic diversity and be able to confer immunity in a high proportion of immunized individuals from a diverse HLA-bearing population. In this study, we rationally designed a multiepitopic DNA vaccine in order to elicit broad and cross-clade CD4(+) T-cell responses against highly conserved and promiscuous peptides from the HIV-1 M-group consensus sequence. We identified 27 conserved, multiple HLA-DR-binding peptides in the HIV-1 M-group consensus sequences of Gag, Pol, Nef, Vif, Vpr, Rev and Vpu using the TEPITOPE algorithm. The peptides bound in vitro to an average of 12 out of the 17 tested HLA-DR molecules and also to several molecules such as HLA-DP, -DQ and murine IA(b) and IA(d). Sixteen out of the 27 peptides were recognized by PBMC from patients infected with different HIV-1 variants and 72% of such patients recognized at least 1 peptide. Immunization with a DNA vaccine (HIVBr27) encoding the identified peptides elicited IFN-gamma secretion against 11 out of the 27 peptides in BALB/c mice; CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell proliferation was observed against 8 and 6 peptides, respectively. HIVBr27 immunization elicited cross-clade T-cell responses against several HIV-1 peptide variants. Polyfunctional CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, able to simultaneously proliferate and produce IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, were also observed. This vaccine concept may cope with HIV-1 genetic diversity as well as provide increased population coverage, which are desirable features for an efficacious strategy against HIV-1/AIDS.
- A DNA Vaccine Encoding Multiple HIV CD4 Epitopes Elicits Vigorous Polyfunctional, Long-Lived CD4(+) and CD8(+) T Cell Responses(2011) ROSA, Daniela Santoro; RIBEIRO, Susan Pereira; ALMEIDA, Rafael Ribeiro; MAIRENA, Eliane Conti; POSTOL, Edilberto; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, EdecioT-cell based vaccines against HIV have the goal of limiting both transmission and disease progression by inducing broad and functionally relevant T cell responses. Moreover, polyfunctional and long-lived specific memory T cells have been associated to vaccine-induced protection. CD4(+) T cells are important for the generation and maintenance of functional CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells. We have recently developed a DNA vaccine encoding 18 conserved multiple HLA-DR-binding HIV-1 CD4 epitopes (HIVBr18), capable of eliciting broad CD4(+) T cell responses in multiple HLA class II transgenic mice. Here, we evaluated the breadth and functional profile of HIVBr18-induced immune responses in BALB/c mice. Immunized mice displayed high-magnitude, broad CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell responses, and 8/18 vaccine-encoded peptides were recognized. In addition, HIVBr18 immunization was able to induce polyfunctional CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells that proliferate and produce any two cytokines (IFN gamma/TNF alpha, IFN gamma/IL-2 or TNF alpha/IL-2) simultaneously in response to HIV-1 peptides. For CD4(+) T cells exclusively, we also detected cells that proliferate and produce all three tested cytokines simultaneously (IFN gamma/TNF alpha/IL-2). The vaccine also generated long-lived central and effector memory CD4(+) T cells, a desirable feature for T-cell based vaccines. By virtue of inducing broad, polyfunctional and long-lived T cell responses against conserved CD4(+) T cell epitopes, combined administration of this vaccine concept may provide sustained help for CD8(+) T cells and antibody responses-elicited by other HIV immunogens.
- Rheumatic Heart Disease and Myxomatous Degeneration: Differences and Similarities of Valve Damage Resulting from Autoimmune Reactions and Matrix Disorganization(2017) MARTINS, Carlo de Oliveira; DEMARCHI, Lea; FERREIRA, Frederico Moraes; POMERANTZEFF, Pablo Maria Alberto; BRANDAO, Carlos; SAMPAIO, Roney Orismar; SPINA, Guilherme Sobreira; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; GUILHERME, LuizaAutoimmune inflammatory reactions leading to rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) result from untreated Streptococcus pyogenes throat infections in individuals who exhibit genetic susceptibility. Immune effector mechanisms have been described that lead to heart tissue damage culminating in mitral and aortic valve dysfunctions. In myxomatous valve degeneration (MXD), the mitral valve is also damaged due to non-inflammatory mechanisms. Both diseases are characterized by structural valve disarray and a previous proteomic analysis of them has disclosed a distinct profile of matrix/structural proteins differentially expressed. Given their relevance in organizing valve tissue, we quantitatively evaluated the expression of vimentin, collagen VI, lumican, and vitronectin as well as performed immunohistochemical analysis of their distribution in valve tissue lesions of patients in both diseases. We identified abundant expression of two isoforms of vimentin (45 kDa, 42 kDa) with reduced expression of the full-size protein (54 kDa) in RHD valves. We also found increased vitronectin expression, reduced collagen VI expression and similar lumican expression between RHD and MXD valves. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated disrupted patterns of these proteins in myxomatous degeneration valves and disorganized distribution in rheumatic heart disease valves that correlated with clinical manifestations such as valve regurgitation or stenosis. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed a diverse pattern of distribution of collagen VI and lumican into RHD and MXD valves. Altogether, these results demonstrated distinct patterns of altered valve expression and tissue distribution/ organization of structural/matrix proteins that play important pathophysiological roles in both valve diseases.
- p16(INK4a) Expression and Immunologic Aging in Chronic HIV Infection (vol 11, e0166759, 2016)(2017) RIBEIRO, Susan Pereira; MILUSH, Jeffrey M.; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; KAILAS, Esper G.; KALIL, Jorge; PASSERO, Luiz Felipe D.; HUNT, Peter W.; DEEKS, Steven G.; NIXON, Douglas F.; SENGUPTA, Devi
- Plasma Cytokine Profile in Tropical Endomyocardial Fibrosis: Predominance of TNF-a, IL-4 and IL-10(2014) BOSSA, Aline S.; SALEMI, Vera M. C.; RIBEIRO, Susan P.; ROSA, Daniela S.; FERREIRA, Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto; FERREIRA, Suzete C.; NISHIYA, Anna Shoko; MADY, Charles; KALIL, Jorge; CUNHA-NETO, EdecioBackground: The participation of immune/inflammatory mechanisms in the pathogenesis of tropical endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) has been suggested by the finding of early blood and myocardial eosinophilia. However, the inflammatory activation status of late-stage EMF patients is still unknown. Methodology/Principal findings: We evaluated pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in plasma samples from late stage EMF patients. Cytokine levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha, Interferon (IFN)-gamma, Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were assayed in plasma samples from 27 EMF patients and compared with those of healthy control subjects. All EMF patients displayed detectable plasma levels of at least one of the cytokines tested. We found that TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-10 were each detected in at least 74% of tested sera, and plasma levels of IL-10, IL-4, and TNF-alpha were significantly higher than those of controls. Plasma levels of such cytokines positively correlated with each other. Conclusions/Significance: The mixed pro-and anti-inflammatory/Th2circulating cytokine profile in EMF is consistent with the presence of a persistent inflammatory stimulus. On the other hand, the detection of increased levels of TNF-alpha may be secondary to the cardiovascular involvement observed in these patients, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 may have been upregulated as a homeostatic mechanism to buffer both production and deleterious cardiovascular effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Further studies might establish whether these findings play a role in disease pathogenesis.
- p16(INK4a) Expression and Immunologic Aging in Chronic HIV Infection(2016) RIBEIRO, Susan Pereira; MILUSH, Jeffrey M.; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; KALLAS, Esper G.; KALIL, Jorge; PASSERO, Luiz Felipe D.; HUNT, Peter W.; DEEKS, Steven G.; NIXON, Douglas F.; SENGUPTA, DeviChronic HIV infection is characterized by increased immune activation and immunosenescence. p16(INK4a) (p16) is a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase antagonist family that inhibits cellular proliferation, and its protein expression increases during normal chronological aging. However, some infectious diseases can increase the expression of this anti-proliferative protein, potentially accelerating immunological aging and dysfunction. In order to investigate the immunological aging in HIV patients, p16 protein expression was evaluated by flow cytometry, in T cell subsets in a cohort of chronically HIV-infected patients on and off ART as well as age-matched healthy controls. Results showed that untreated HIV-infected subjects exhibited increased per-cell p16 protein expression that was discordant with chronological aging. ART restored p16 protein expression to levels comparable with HIV-negative subjects in the CD4 compartment, but not in CD8 T cells, which can be an indicative of an irreversible activation/exhaustion status on these cells. Additionally, the frequency of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was positively correlated with p16 expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in untreated subjects. In contrast to healthy controls, untreated HIV-infected individuals had increased p16 levels within the effector memory (T-EM) subset, indicating a possible role for this marker in impaired clonal expansion during antiviral effector function. Taken together, these data demonstrate that chronic HIV infection is associated with elevated expression of the cellular aging marker p16 in T cells. ART restored normal p16 levels in the CD4+ T cell compartment, indicating that use of therapy can be of fundamental importance to normal cell cycling and maintaining immune homeostasis.
- Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) of Chagas Cardiomyopathy in Trypanosoma cruzi Seropositive Subjects(2013) DENG, Xutao; SABINO, Ester C.; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; RIBEIRO, Antonio L.; IANNI, Barbara; MADY, Charles; BUSCH, Michael P.; SEISLSTEAD, MarkBackground: Familial aggregation of Chagas cardiac disease in T. cruzi-infected persons suggests that human genetic variation may be an important determinant of disease progression. Objective: To perform a GWAS using a well-characterized cohort to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genes associated with cardiac outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was developed by the NHLBI REDS-II program in Brazil. Samples were collected from 499 T. cruzi seropositive blood donors who had donated between 1996 and 2002, and 101 patients with clinically diagnosed Chagas cardiomyopathy. In 2008-2010, all subjects underwent a complete medical examination. After genotype calling, quality control filtering with exclusion of 20 cases, and imputation of 1,000 genomes variants; association analysis was performed for 7 cardiac and parasite related traits, adjusting for population stratification. Results: The cohort showed a wide range of African, European, and modest Native American admixture proportions, consistent with the recent history of Brazil. No SNPs were found to be highly (P<10(-8)) associated with cardiomyopathy. The two mostly highly associated SNPs for cardiomyopathy (rs4149018 and rs12582717; P-values <10(-6)) are located on Chromosome 12p12.2 in the SLCO1B1 gene, a solute carrier family member. We identified 44 additional genic SNPs associated with six traits at P-value <10(-6) : Ejection Fraction, PR, QRS, QT intervals, antibody levels by EIA, and parasitemia by PCR. Conclusion: This GWAS identified suggestive SNPs that may impact the risk of progression to cardiomyopathy. Although this Chagas cohort is the largest examined by GWAS to date, (580 subjects), moderate sample size may explain in part the limited number of significant SNP variants. Enlarging the current sample through expanded cohorts and meta-analyses, and targeted studies of candidate genes, will be required to confirm and extend the results reported here. Future studies should also include exposed seronegative controls to investigate genetic associations with susceptibility or resitance to T. cruzi infection and non-Chagas cardiomathy.
- Bicistronic DNA Vaccines Simultaneously Encoding HIV, HSV and HPV Antigens Promote CD8(+) T Cell Responses and Protective Immunity(2013) SANTANA, Vinicius C.; DINIZ, Mariana O.; CARIRI, Francisco A. M. O.; VENTURA, Armando M.; CUNHA-NETO, Edecio; ALMEIDA, Rafael R.; CAMPOS, Marco A.; LIMA, Graciela K.; FERREIRA, Luis C. S.Millions of people worldwide are currently infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For this enormous contingent of people, the search for preventive and therapeutic immunological approaches represents a hope for the eradication of latent infection and/or virus-associated cancer. To date, attempts to develop vaccines against these viruses have been mainly based on a monovalent concept, in which one or more antigens of a virus are incorporated into a vaccine formulation. In the present report, we designed and tested an immunization strategy based on DNA vaccines that simultaneously encode antigens for HIV, HSV and HPV. With this purpose in mind, we tested two bicistronic DNA vaccines (pIRES I and pIRES II) that encode the HPV-16 oncoprotein E7 and the HIV protein p24 both genetically fused to the HSV-1 gD envelope protein. Mice i.m. immunized with the DNA vaccines mounted antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses, including in vivo cytotoxic responses, against the three antigens. Under experimental conditions, the vaccines conferred protective immunity against challenges with a vaccinia virus expressing the HIV-derived protein Gag, an HSV-1 virus strain and implantation of tumor cells expressing the HPV-16 oncoproteins. Altogether, our results show that the concept of a trivalent HIV, HSV, and HPV vaccine capable to induce CD8(+) T cell-dependent responses is feasible and may aid in the development of preventive and/or therapeutic approaches for the control of diseases associated with these viruses.