Sentinelev
Exossomes play a role in cell protection during infection, acting as scavengers of specific bacterial pore forming toxins (PFTs), namely hemolysin. In this project (SENTINELEV), exosomes will be isolated from HEK293T cells overexpressing the protein receptor for α-hemolysin and their lipid composition will be manipulated following different strategies aiming to maximize the PFT-scavenging efficacy of modified EVs. Hybrid EV-Liposome (hEV) particles will be generated for optimal PFT-neutralization, using both direct membrane permeabilization and cell viability assays. The use of hEVs for amplified scavenging of bacterial toxins is an entirely unexplored antivirulence therapeutic strategy. If successful, it could represent an important technological push and a valuable adjunct antitoxin tool in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.
Project webpage Start year 07/01/2022 End year 16/07/2023 ID EXPL/BTM-MAT/0910/2021 iBB Role Coordinator iBB Budget 49 789,70 € Research Group BSIRG PI Fábio Fernandes Project Partners n.a. Status Completed Funding FCT