Work developed by Unicamp and the A*Star institute, in Singapore, has just been published by “The Journal of Infectious Diseases”
In an unprecedented study, researchers from Unicamp and the Singapore Immunology Network (A*Star) identified biomarkers associated with neurological complications caused by the Zika Virus. The work generated an article that has just been published by The Journal of Infectious Diseases, from the United States, considered one of the most important scientific journals in the world in the area of infectious diseases. “As important as identifying biomarkers was opening up perspectives for new research that allows us to understand the mechanisms of action of the virus and the factors associated with serious clinical manifestations. By better understanding this pathogenic agent, we will have a better chance of combating it”, considers the professor at the Institute of Biology (IB) at Unicamp, Fabio Trindade M. Costa, one of the study coordinators.
According to the professor, the University researchers who participated in the investigation are part of the Zika Unicamp Network [in total, 29 professionals from the institution are co-authors of the article], which brings together experts from different areas of knowledge. The objective of the network, created in 2016, is to develop research that contributes to addressing the serious impacts caused by mosquito-borne diseases on public health. Aedes aegypti. One of the initiatives in this context was the establishment of scientific cooperation with A*Star, in Singapore, considered one of the best research institutes in the world.
Bilateral collaboration, adds Trindade, allowed very significant results in just one year of activities. “In addition to the published article, we have another already submitted to a high-impact scientific journal and a patent filing request in the final stages of processing”, he states. Regarding the research that identified biomarkers associated with neurological complications caused by the Zika Virus, the IB professor explains that the investigation was carried out with around 100 patients diagnosed with the virus, treated at the Hospital de Clínicas (HC), at the Hospital da Mulher Prof. . Dr. José Aristodemo Pinotti (Caism) and in the hospital network in the city of Campinas.
The researchers analyzed serological samples from volunteers [men, women, pregnant women and newborns], with the purpose of answering three main questions. The first of these was whether the person infected with the virus had any molecular signature. In other words, if you had a different molecule in your immune system than those found in the system of an uninfected person. The second question was whether there would also be any specific biomarker in adult patients who developed neurological syndrome [close to 10% of the total].
Finally, the third question was whether the five newborns in the group who developed neurological syndrome also presented a particular molecular signature. “For all three questions, we had the same answer, which was 'yes'. Infected patients and those who develop anomalies resulting from the action of the virus presented a set of molecules that differs from the molecules present in the bodies of people who were not infected by the Zika virus”, explains Trindade.
The discovery, according to the professor, can help medicine make safer prognoses about the condition of the infected person. Depending on the levels of the markers, doctors will have an indication of whether or not the patient's condition may worsen, which will allow for earlier intervention. Another important contribution of the study, highlights the IB professor and also research coordinator, José Luiz Proença Modena, is that, from it, it is possible to envision new investigations. “We still need to know, for example, whether these biomarkers are a cause, a consequence or whether they are both a cause and a consequence of the anomalies. By clarifying these doubts, we will have more information to combat the virus”, he reinforces.
In addition to generating new knowledge on the topic, the partnership between Unicamp and A*Star, IB professors note, is also important for the training of human resources, given that the University's master's, doctorate and post-doctoral students are involved in the effort of research. “It was very interesting to be able to share the bench with researchers from Singapore, who were visiting us. We were able to exchange experiences and learn many things from them”, says postdoctoral student Juliana Almeida Leite, with the agreement of fellow postdoc Carla Judice, both postgraduate students at IB.
The spread of the Zika Virus has worried several countries besides Brazil, as reported by professors Trindade and Modena. The attention has been greater where the microorganism is now arriving, such as in the United States, especially in the southern portion of that country. “The same occurs in Mexico and Colombia. It is also worth remembering that India recently identified the first indigenous case of Zika Virus infection. This is a worrying situation, especially if we take into account the size of the country's population, which exceeds 1 billion people”, points out Modena.
In addition to the two coordinators linked to Unicamp, the research project has two other coordinators from A*Star, professors Lisa FP and Laurent Rénia. In Brazil, research is financed by Unicamp, the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). In Singapore, funding is provided by A*Star, which is a private research institute.