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In a new study, I researchers at the University of Galway, Irelandworking with an international team, we have developed a modular approach to synthesis that allows the production of new prototype vaccine against cancer.
Work done in this document e published in the Journal of the American Chemical Societyvery prestigious journal in chemistry, was basically a journal Louise Adele Gabba, PhD student at the University of Galway (supported by IRC and EMBO), i.e. be the first author which corresponding authorand was conducted while she was a PhD student in Galway (under Prof. Paul Murphy) and later as a postdoctoral fellow at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany (where she was mentored by Prof. Paul Bezenius, winner of the European Research Council and Prof. Edgar Schmidt).
During her doctoral studies, Adele, who also received an award from the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland in Ireland, was awarded EMBO Award who supported a trip to the laboratory of Prof. Ulrika Westerlind (Umeå, Sweden), where the vaccine components used in the study were prepared using a Galway-produced glycocluster.
The study was carried out with important contribution of scientists in countries Short (laboratory of Sandra von Vliet), USA (Gabriel Birrand) e Spain (Juan Sabin).
vaccine contains three different components that can be assembled as if they were Lego blocks. One of these components is the glycocluster, which is designed to increase the uptake of the vaccine by dendritic cells, which leads to a significant increase in the immune response to the vaccine.
The glycocluster is composed of several sugars and a TPE (tetraphenylethene) backbone and has a high affinity (or viscosity) for a receptor (a lectin known as MGL, macrophage galactose type C lectin) on the surface of dendritic cells. It has been found to be about ten times stickier than the vaccine, which lacks the glycocluster component, which explains its effectiveness. increased absorption and effectiveness.
The prototype contains a T-helper epitope to enhance the response of T-cells (required for long-term immunity) and fragments containing the T-tumor antigen found in breast cancer cells. The modular or light-block approach means that other types of glycoclusters targeting other immune cell lectins or T-helper epitopes or tumor antigens can be constructed and systematically studied, and thus has implications for the field of vaccine design.
Professor Paul Murphya recognized professor of chemistry at the University of Galway and SFI researcher, said: “I am deeply indebted to all participants for their contributions. All the staff and I are especially grateful to Dr. Adele Gabba.. Adele showed great perseverance, which was the key to the success of this study, which spanned her doctoral studies and subsequent appointment as a postdoctoral fellow in Mainz. Adele was involved in all aspects of the study. Glycoclusters, after years of study, are beginning to show applications that benefit health and industry. It is also possible to use glycoclusters to improve the delivery of vaccines and stimulate infectious diseases caused by bacteria or viruses. They can be useful for targeting hard-to-find biopharmaceuticals or small molecule drugs where they are needed. It is important to note that no side effects were observed for the studied vaccine prototype, and the efficacy was significantly improved by the addition of the glycocluster component.”
“Only chemistry is able to create certain and adjustable structures that will allow humanity to gain a deep and clear understanding of biological processes,” said Dr. Luineswho recently graduated from the University of Galway and is currently a Marie-Skloudoski Curie International Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. the first step towards understanding the complex mechanism by which our immune system begins to fight the disease. Understanding the complexity involved in discovering a vaccine requires experience from many disciplines and even industries, such as those represented by the incredible international team of scientists who contributed to this research effort.”
“I extremely proud that we were able to learn more about MGL in antigen presentation. I hope other scientists use our findings develop better cancer vaccines. I learned a lot and worked a lot on this research project,” says Gabba, “and during this time I made many friends: Rome Attaria, Jean Yu, Moritz Urschbach and Sandra Behren, to name but a few other graduate students, they are not only great scientists . , but they were also able to create the healthy and enjoyable laboratory environment needed for young scientists to grow up having fun.”
The study was funded by the Irish Research Council (Irish Government Adele Gabba PhD Fellowship), European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO Travel Adele Gabba Award), Science Foundation of Ireland (Professor Paul Murphy Researcher Award), from the Horizon 2020 Research Funds and innovations of the European Union (ERC495 CoG SUPRAVACC – 819856 to Prof. Paul Bezenius) and the Kempe Foundation (JCK-1819.1, JCK-1819.2, award to Prof. Ulrike Westerlind), as well as various institutions supporting all researchers who contributed to the study.