O Câncer Cervical é um importante problema de saúde pública, causando aproximadamente 270 milhões de mortes anuais. Atualmente, esse câncer é o segundo mais comum em mulheres no mundo, com os maiores índices de incidência ocorrendo nos países em desenvolvimento. O Câncer cervical tem como agente etiológico o Papilomavírus Humano (HPV). O vírus possui DNA circular duplo com genes que codificam oito proteínas, E1, E2, E4, E5, E6, E7 (não estruturais), e L1 e L2 (estruturais) que formam o capsídio viral. A proteína L1 quando produzida em sistema heterólgo de expressão tem a capacidade de auto-arranjo em partículas semelhantes ao vírus chamadas de VLPs (\"Vírus like Particles\"), que são a base das vacinas profiláticas disponíveis, Gardasil® e Cervarix®. Neste trabalho, foram produzidas VLPs da proteína L1 do HPV-16 na levedura metilotrófica Pichia pastoris utilizando dois tipos de vetores de expressão para leveduras, um epissomal e outro integrativo, para os trabalhos de purificação. Inicialmente as amostras obtidas ao final da purificação apresentaram degradação e agregação da proteína L1, além de contaminantes. O protocolo de purificação foi modificado e as amostras obtidas no final do processo de purificação não apresentaram degradação e nem agregação da proteína L1, embora ainda tenha sido detectada a presença de contaminantes e, portanto, as amostras obtidas estavam semi-purificadas. Uma segunda abordagem para o desenvolvimento de uma vacina alternativa foi realizada, na qual foram produzidos candidatos vacinais baseados na proteína L2 do Papilomavírus Humano (L2 do HPV-16, L2 do HPV-18 e L2 Multimérica), e também foram expressas proteínas fusionadas ao domínio ZZ de Staphylococcus aureus, utilizado neste caso como adjuvante. Em geral as proteínas de fusão, ainda que apresentando a fusão em sua forma funcional, geraram uma fraca indução de anticorpos IgG e de anticorpos neutralizantes. Pode-se observar uma produção de anticorpos neutralizantes contra pseudovírus homólogos e heterólogos que dependeu da combinação com os adjuvantes utilizados. Numa tentativa de maximizar a eficiência imunológica dos antígenos utilizados, um novo ensaio de imunização foi realizado com uma formulação conjunta contendo três proteínas (L2 do HPV-16, L2 do HPV-18 e L2 Multimérica), sendo também avaliadas as propriedades de três adjuvantes. A combinação da formulação vacinal com os adjuvantes gerou altos níveis de anticorpos L2-específicos, destacando-se as formulações com o hidróxido de alumínio/MPLA e com a vacina celular Pertussis low. Com a utilização desses adjuvantes, os níveis de anticorpos permaneceram elevados a longo termo. Pode-se observar a imunogenicidade de cada um dos antígenos dependeu de sua formulação com os adjuvantes testados. / Cervical cancer is one of the most important problems of public health, causing nearly 270 million deaths annually. Currently, cervical cancer is the second more common type in women worldwide and the highest incidences occuring in developing countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) are the ethiologic agents of cervical cancer. HPV have a double-stranded circular DNA genome encoding eight viral proteins, E1, E2, E4, E5, E6, E7 (non-structural), and L1, L2 (structural), the last ones forming the viral capsid. L1 protein expressed in heterologous systems self-assembles into VLPs (\"Virus like Particles\"), the base of prophylactic vaccines available commercially, Gardasil and Cervarix. In this work, we produced VLPs of HPV-16 L1 protein in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris for purification assays. Initially, samples obtained from purification presented degradation and aggregation of L1 protein and also contaminants. The purification protocol was modified and samples obtained in the new process did not present degradation nor aggregation but the presence of some contaminants could still be detected. Therefore, samples obtained were semi-purified. A second approach to the development of an alternative vaccine was performed with the production of vaccine candidates based on the HPV L2 protein (HPV-16 L2, HPV-18 L2 and Multimeric L2) and we also expressed the same proteins fused to Staphyloccocus aureus ZZ domain, using it as an adjuvant. In general, the fused proteins induced low antibodies titer and low neutralizing antibodies titer when compared to other formulations. Neutralizing antibodies elicited against homologous and heterologous pseudovirus depended on the adjuvant used. In another approach, trying to enhance immunologic antigen efficiencies, an immunization assay was performed with a formulation containing L2 HPV- 16, L2 HPV-18 and Multimeric L2 and the properties of three adjuvants were assessed. The vaccine formulations adjuvanted with alum/MPLA and cellular Pertussis low vaccine induced the highest levels of L2-specific antibodies. In addition, the usage of adjuvants maintained the antibody levels in the long term. The immunogenicity of each antigen depends on the adjuvant combination used.

O Papilomavírus Humano (HPV) é uma prevalente infecção do mundo atual, sendo o comportamento sexual um fator determinante para a o acometimento da infecção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o HPV em diferentes sítios de infecção, buscando um maior entendimento do seu mecanismo de disseminação. Foram analisadas amostras das mucosas cervical, oral e do sangue de 50 pacientes do sexo feminino. Foram identificados o HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31 e HPV-33. Nenhuma paciente foi negativa para os quatro tipos nos três sítios. O HPV-16 foi o mais detectado e o mais prevalente nos três sítios, simultaneamente, 32 pacientes apresentaram esse perfil. Todos os tipos virais presentes no sangue, também estavam presentes na mucosa cervical, na mucosa oral ou em ambas. Foram identificados seis achados citológicos, sugestivos da infecção pelo HPV. Foi realizada a detecção dos transcritos virais de E6, E6/E7 e L1 nos três sítios. Os resultados do nosso trabalho demonstram a alta prevalência do HPV, a atividade viral nos três sítios analisados e a provável disseminação do vírus. / Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most prevalent infections of the current world, with sexual behavior being one determining fator of infection. The objective of this study was to study HPV in different sites of infection, seeking a better understanding of its mechanism and spreading. Cervical, oral and blood mucosa samples from 50 female patients were analyzed. HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31 and HPV-33 were identified. No patient was negative in the four types at all three sites. HPV-16 was the most detected and the most prevalent in the three sites, simultaneously, 32 patients presented this profile. All viral types present in the blood were also present in the cervical mucosa, oral mucosa, or both. Six cytological findings were identified, suggestive of infection by HPV. Detection of viral transcripts of E6, E6 / E7 and L1 was performed at the three sites. The results of our study demonstrate the high prevalence of HPV, viral activity in the three sites analyzed and the probable virus spreading.

The aim of this study was to develop a system for easy production of different veterinary chimeric vaccines based on stable mouse polyomavirus (MPyV) structures. The system is designed for antigens that are problematic in production or stability. First, universal vectors for baculovirus-directed production of chimeric MPyV VLPs or pentamers based on the major capsid protein VP1 were designed to be exploited as vaccines against other pathogens. The different strategies used in this study are based on: A) exposure of selected immunogenic epitopes on the surface of MPyV VLPs by inserting them into a surface loop of the VP1 protein, B) insertion of foreign protein molecules inside the VLPs, or C) fusion of a foreign protein or its part with the C-terminus of VP1 protein, thus forming giant pentamers of a chimeric protein. Candidate vaccine antigens against porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), the causative agent of porcine circovirus 2 systemic diseases (PCV2-SD) which causes significant economic losses in swine breeding, were prepared using the constructed vectors. All candidate vaccines induced the production of antibodies against the capsid protein of PCV2 after immunization of mice. The candidate vaccine Var C based on fusion of MPyV and PCV2 capsid proteins, is able to induce production of antibodies with...

Papillomaviruses are small DNA viruses that are associated with the induction of epithelial tumors. HPV is an important infectious agent causing almost 100 % of cervical tumors but it can also cause tumors in other anogenital and head and neck locations in both men and women. Active HPV infection induces changes in miRNA expression that contribute to the tumor formation and progression. It is already known that papillomaviruses do not encode their own viral miRNAs but they affect the expression of cellular miRNAs. In my thesis I have in selected epithelial tumors (vulva, cervix, anus and tonsils) determined their etiology and analyzed the presence of miRNAs in tissues by next generation sequencing. From these data I determined the expression profiles of deregulated miRNAs in tumors relation to healthy tissues of corresponding location. Even though, sufficient number of samples was analyzed, it was not possible to detect HPV-core miRNA common to all analyzed HPV-induced tumors due to the absence of statistically relevant differentially expressed miRNAs in HPV positive vulvar tumors. Among the tumors of the other sites I found an overlap in three miRNAs. One of these miRNAs (miR-139-5p) and another one (miR-9-5p) which I have selected based on the study of other published data, were used for...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma encompasses a complex and heterogeneous group of malignant diseases. Originally, this tumor type was associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption. However, a significantly expanding subset of tumors associated with oncogenic human papillomavirus infection arising in deep tonsillar crypts was identified within the last decades. Due to the essential role of the immune system in antiviral and anticancer immune response, the prognosis of patients is significantly influenced by the volume, composition and functional capacity of the immune infiltrate. The immunosuppressive landscape of head and neck cancer leads to unfavorable outcome of patients and decreased efficacy of immunotherapy. The response rate to standard treatment is high, however, standard therapy is accompanied by considerable toxicity influencing the quality of life. In 2016, the first immunotherapeutics for the treatment of patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were approved - the anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab. This type of therapy, based on mitigation of immunosuppression, shows strong efficacy and less toxicity in combination with other therapies. Therefore, anti-PD-1 immunotherapy was recently approved in the first-line...