Production And In Vivo Delivery Of Bacteriphage Lytic Enzymes By Lactobacillus Fermentum For Disease Prevention.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$272,250.00
Summary
Lactic acid bacteria are commonly found in the oral cavity, digestive and female urogenital tracts of humans and other mammals. They are almost completely harmless with only some streptococci and enterococci being able to cause disease. The harmless lactic acid bacteria are mainly classified as Lactobacillus or Lactococcus, and members of of these groups are used in the manufacture of dairy foods such as yoghurt and cheese. Lactobacilli in particular are marketed in a number of health-promoting ....Lactic acid bacteria are commonly found in the oral cavity, digestive and female urogenital tracts of humans and other mammals. They are almost completely harmless with only some streptococci and enterococci being able to cause disease. The harmless lactic acid bacteria are mainly classified as Lactobacillus or Lactococcus, and members of of these groups are used in the manufacture of dairy foods such as yoghurt and cheese. Lactobacilli in particular are marketed in a number of health-promoting or probiotic foodstuffs which are consumed all over the world. We are interested in developing lactobacilli into therapeutic agents which will prevent or treat infections caused by a range of harmful bacteria including the bacteria which cause strep throat and food poisoning. Lactobacilli will be genetically modified to produce enzymes which specifically kill harmful bacteria. These enzymes are from viruses which infect specific bacteria. Using animal models the modified lactobacilli or lactobacilli produced enzymes will be administered orally and tested for their ability to treat possible infections caused by pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity and intestine. This new therapeutic production and delivery system offers an alternative infectious disease control method to antibiotics. This agent may also be used to control some of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are of significant worldwide concern.Read moreRead less
The Characterisation Of The Functional Regions Of Sarcomeric Alpha-actinins And To Determine How The Absence Of Alpha-actinin-3 Influences Human Skeletal Muscle Function And Metabolism.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$95,313.00
Summary
We are studying a muscle protein called a-actinin-3. This protein is absent in approximately one billion people worldwide. A-actinin-3 is associated with athletic performance. Our goal is to explore how the absence of a-actinin-3 influences human skeletal muscle function and metabolism. We will be studying a-actinin-3 deficiency using a mouse model.
Taking The First Steps From Promise To Product: Exploration Of The Newly Discovered Interleukin 37 Receptor Complex And Its Signaling Pathways
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$694,623.00
Summary
Cytokines are messenger proteins used by most cells of the body. They function as master regulators of many biological processes and as such play an important role in a wide spectrum of diseases. Anti-inflammatory cytokines attenuate the potentially destructive force of other cytokines and the immune system as a whole, and are therefore coveted as drug targets. We discovered the formidable anti-inflammatory properties of IL-37 and will now explore how these activites can be utilised in clinical ....Cytokines are messenger proteins used by most cells of the body. They function as master regulators of many biological processes and as such play an important role in a wide spectrum of diseases. Anti-inflammatory cytokines attenuate the potentially destructive force of other cytokines and the immune system as a whole, and are therefore coveted as drug targets. We discovered the formidable anti-inflammatory properties of IL-37 and will now explore how these activites can be utilised in clinical medicine.Read moreRead less
Structure-function Relationships Of Rye Grass Pollen Allergens And Preparation Of Hypoallergenic Mutants For Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$223,928.00
Summary
Grass pollen is an important cause of allergy (eg. hayfever, allergic asthma) world-wide affecting up to 30% of the population. In Australia, rye grass pollen is a clinically significant health problem costing $83-160 million per annum. At present, the main treatment of seasonal allergy is by pharmacotherapy with the use of crude extracts in specific immunotherapy which often causes large and annoying local skin reactions and may even cause anaphylaxis. Moreover, the use of crude extracts in dia ....Grass pollen is an important cause of allergy (eg. hayfever, allergic asthma) world-wide affecting up to 30% of the population. In Australia, rye grass pollen is a clinically significant health problem costing $83-160 million per annum. At present, the main treatment of seasonal allergy is by pharmacotherapy with the use of crude extracts in specific immunotherapy which often causes large and annoying local skin reactions and may even cause anaphylaxis. Moreover, the use of crude extracts in diagnosis of allergy among some atopic individuals may be inaccurate or ineffective. In the last eight years of my research, I have contributed significantly to the identification, characterisation and molecular cloning of grass pollen allergens. In this proposal, I aim to evaluate recombinant rye grass pollen allergens as standardised and more effective diagnostic reagents and, through the identification and better understanding of the allergenic segments of these proteins, to prepare recombinant mutants of the same proteins which are no londer allergenic. Avaliability of such non-allergenic protein reagents will provide safer immunotherapy in the future. Moreover, since the biolgical role, function and structure of such allergens in the grass pollen still remain largely unknown, I will aim to investigate this with the clinically significant allergens of rye grass pollen. Determination of biological function and structure of such allergens will allow their importance for the pollen-plant to be determined and, since function may be relevant to sensitisation of suceptible individuals to these allergens, these findings will stimulate the development of novel concepts in allergen prevention and therapy.Read moreRead less