Grant: Operating Grant

We have recently developed a novel adjuvant that is a rod-shape nanoparticle made of the coat protein of a plant virus assemble around a RNA. We showed that the nanoparticles are able to expand and increase significantly the immune response to the seasonal flu vaccine antigens. In addition we also showed that the adjuvant induce a strong innate immune response that lead to protection to viral respiratory diseases (like flu) or viral chronic disease (like LCMV). Based on those exciting results, we wish to investigate the mechanism of recognition of the nanoparticles by the immune system. In brief, we will (1) study the importance of aggregation of PapMV nanoparticles in the immune response, (2) identify the immune receptor(s) of PapMV nanoparticles, (3) investigate the involvement of platelets in the immune response response induced by PapMV nanoparticles, (4) identify the modulation of the transcriptome in immune cells induced with PapMV nanoparticles Finally, we will attempt to treat established infections with influenza or LCMV using PapMV nanoparticles alone or in combination with other drugs to evaluate the potential of this technology in the treatment of viral diseases. Because PapMV nanoparticles are very well tolerated in mammals, we are confident that the technology has a strong potential to be used for several applications, including the preventions and treatment of various viral infections.