Towards reducing heart disease by peptide vaccines

Development of novel synthetic Toll-like receptor and carbohydrate targeted peptide vaccines to reduce cardiovascular complications of rheumatic heart disease



Funding year: 2009



Amount funded: $88,556
 


Lead researcher:
Dr Colleen Olive, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
 


Research team:
Professor Istvan Toth, Senior Principal Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy, Uni of Qld
Professor Michael Good, Director QIMR
Dr Andrew Galbraith, Cardiologist, Heart Failure and Transplant Unit, The Prince Charles Hospital
 


Location of research:
Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Rd, Herston Qld   



Project description:
Infection with the bacterial pathogen streptococcus is responsible for causing rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Globally, there are approximately 15.6 million people affected by RHD with 350,000 deaths and 282,000 new cases each year. Current control strategies to prevent streptococcal infection, which would prevent RHD, are proving ineffective and it is believed that the development of a vaccine represents the best primary prevention solution.

Our research is aimed at the development of a vaccine to prevent RHD and involves targeting proteins on the streptococcal surface, which are important for its entry into the body and subsequent infections life cycle, as well as receptors within the body that, when stimulated, are responsible for the establishment of efficient protective immune responses. As such, we are using a novel vaccine approach that we have developed in the laboratory that is designed to induce the body’s immune cells to produce neutralising antibodies required for streptococcal immunity.

We will continue our studies on the investigation of novel and totally synthetic compounds in the design of a streptococcal vaccine for human application that can provide protection against many different bacterial strains.