PAI: publication ULB-VUB...

Each year, over 300 000 people die of African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis). Researchers from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected to the Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology (Prof. E. Pays - IBMM, ULB) are making strides in the battle against this disease. They have coupled the human protein ApoL-1 with a nanobody in order to very specifically eliminate the infection caused by the pathogenic parasites, against wich our defense mechanism is powerless. Tests on mice are already promising. The recently published research results offer new possibilities for people who have contracted this disease.

About 400 000 people worlwide suffer from the African sleeping sickness. The disease produces severe sleep disorders that end in coma, followed by death. Fewer than 10% of the patients are treated in time, but the current treatment is very toxic and in many cases results in the patient's death.

African sleeping sickness is a disorder caused by the trypanosome parasite. The tsetse fly transmits the parasite from person to person. Once someone has been infected, the body has great difficulty getting the infection under control because the parasite constantly changes appearance. Thus the trypanosome remains impervious to the antibodies.

Fortunately our body has a special defense mechanism that can help us in the fight against African trypanosomes. Our blood contains ApoL-1, a protein of which the laboratory of Molecular Parasitology from the ULB (Pr E. Pays) has demonstrated is toxic to - and neutralizes - most types of trypanosomes.

However there is one trypanosome against which we are not protected : Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. This parasite is resistant to ApoL-1 because it has particular proteins that counteract ApoL-1's action.

The ULB's laboratory has established that a variant of ApoL-1 is not neutralized by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. This truncated ApoL-1 variant can help to overcome the parasite that infects our body, but only when it is present in very high concentrations. The challenge for the researchers was to get this truncated ApoL-1 variant efficiently to the place where it is needed : onto the surface of the parasite.

VIB researchers have previously produced a nanobody (a very small antibody) that targets and binds to the parasite very specifically. T. Nath Baral and his VIB colleagues have now succeeded in coupling this nanobody to the abbreviated ApoL-1 variant. This creates a special product that binds immediately to the parasite and thus brings the ApoL-1 variant to the place where it can carry out its neutralizing action.

All the tests performed on mice have been very promising : trypanosome-infected mice survive after 1 treatment. The parasite is removed from the blood and all effects associated with the disease disappear. There is every indication that this substance can also counteract Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in humans - sparing them from African sleeping sickness.

The findings of this research appear in the authoritative journal Nature Medicine (Experimental therapy of African trypanosomiasis with a nanobody-conjugated human trypanolytic factor ; Toya Nath Baral et al., Nature Medicine, 2006)

...and next cycle

In the next cycle of Interuniversity Attraction Poles (PAI)-the major research programme of the Federal Government-, the IMI (Institute for Medical Immunology) will coordinate a proposal on cell mediated-immunity in health and disease, together with the groups of Oberdan Leo and Muriel Moser at the IBMM.

Other partners include Pierre Coulie at UCL, Fabrice Bureau at ULg, Jean Plum at Ghent University and Kris Thielemans at VUB.

In this joint project, the IMI will focus its activities on neonatal immunology.

New PhD at IMI

On the 25th of April, Pascal Fenou Fenou successfully completed his PhD degree. He carried out his thesis entitled "Mechanisms of immune suppression deployed by CD4T regulatory cells following repeated exposure to staphylococcal enterotoxins" with the support of the Télévie and the Fonds de la recherche scientifique médicale. Pascal's work has contributed to the better understanding of immune regulatory mechanisms that controls inflammation.

DNAVision SA : capital increase

DNAVision has raised 1 million dollar in capital increase. In addition to the actual shareholders - ULB and Bio.be, a subsidiary of IPG (Institut de pathologie et de génétique) -, two new investors have also subscribed to the capital round : Sambrinvest and Technowal, a subsidiary of SRIW.

Jean-Pol Detiffe, CEO of DNAVision comments: "This capital increase should allow us to finance our operations until the end of 2009 and to develop our RD projects in the field of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics. This successful closing recognizes DNAVision's achievements since its creation, less than two years ago. Going forward, we will continue to focus on providing DNA and RNA testing that improve pharmaceutical research and patient care by the use of personalized medicine".

DelphiGenetics and Eurogentec : distribution of kits

Eurogentec has announced the distribution of a new generation of kits for the cloning and the protein expression in bacterium. Those kits make up the first elements of the new range of the StabyTM Operating System (SOS). Those kits, develloped and produced by Delphi Genetics S.A. combine the unique advantages of the ccdA and ccdB gene belonging to the "poison-antidote" system from bacterial origin.

New website : www.delphigenetics.com

IBMM : PhDs days

Every year during the month of May, the members of the Molecular Biology Department (DBM, IBMM) abandon their laboratory during two days in order to take part in the "PhDs days". The PhDs from the second year (so, in the middle of their thesis) present their work so that a first assessment can be done. The state of advancement and the quality of the work of each one is assessed and examined by the members of the PhDs examining board who formulate recommendations so that the PhDs can carry on their researchs under the best conditions.

Those PhDs days are ended by a convivial event gathering all the members of the DBM and their colleagues from the IRIBHM also based in Gosselies: a barbecue is organized by the Parentville's team in their campus, particularly welcoming at this time of the year.

IMI : part of the ULB FOCIS Centers of excellence

The FOCIS Centers of Excellence gathers teams active in basic and clinical immunology worlwide. They were designed as reference centers for clinical trials and immunology training.

For the next FOCIS meeting in San Francisco (June 4-7, 2006), Muriel Stubbe and Virginie De Wilde, both PhD students at the IMI, were awarded travel grants to present their experimental studies. Muriel Stubbe will report her work in the team of Arnaud Marchant on T cell responses of human beings to hepatitis B vaccine. Virgine De Wilde will report her work in the group of Alain Le Moine on the role of Toll-like receptor ligands in the regulation of transplant rejection.

Henogen : Trends Gazelle

The spin-off Henogen has received the prize Trends Gazelle. This means that Henogen has realized the best growth in its group - small enterprises in Hainaut - between 2000-2004.

IMI : grant award from the Fonds Erasme

The Olivia De Clercq grant provided by the Fonds Erasme to promote research on multiple sclerosis was awarded to a joint research project involving the Department of Neurology of Hôpital Erasme (Dr E. Bartholome, prof. M. Pandolfo) and the IMI (Dr M. Vokaer, prof. M. Goldman).

The grant will be used to develop new methods to monitor the disease and its treatments. 800 people suffering from multiple sclerosis are yearly treated at the Hôpital Erasme.

BioWin: second call for projects

On 24 April a BioWin meeting took place at the Point Centre, on Charleroi Aéropole. They announced that 48pc of health actors in Wallonia are BioWin partners and that the registered enterprises represent 86pc of walloon employment in the health sector. He explained that the BioWin challenge for 2015 is to become international leader on three thematics: cancer, inflammation, brain diseases. And to dubbel the enterprises number and employment. BioWin develops five types of actions: researchs projects, teaching actions, communication for the health sector, networking, search for financing.

On 30 march, the Walloon Government has received the BioWin file. In this file one project "biomarker" is proposed to finance : leaded by Eppendorf Array Technologies, this project involves 7 enterprises (included DNAVision), 2 research centers (Giga-Ulg and BioVallée), 12 academic laboratories and hospitals (FUNDP,UCL, ULB, ULg, UMH).

The second call for projects is opened : projects must be returned before 15 June 2006. Leaded by an industrial partner, these projects must be composed by min 1 enterprise (SME) and 1 university. The average budget suggested is 2-4 millions euros for 4 years. The projects will be, as for the first call, evaluated by an international experts board. Themes proposed for the second call: Target validation coupled to lead identification and pre-clinical development of drug candidates for brain disorders, cancer, and inflammatory diseases, Innovative strategies for tissue repair, Innovative strategies for cancer therapy, Innovative strategies for brain disorders.

To manage and support BioWin, an operational unit has been created: managed by Pierre Nokin, the unit is based at the Point Centre.

More information : Dominique Demonté, ULB-Interface, 02 650 98 69 or ddemonte@ulb.ac.be