BIOCELL 43 (suppl. 4), 2019 ABSTRACTS ISSN 0327- 9545 A1 – A210 ISSN 1667-5746 (online version) ABSTRACTS BOOK XXXVI Scientific Meeting of the Cuyo Biology Society Mendoza, Argentina 6-7 December 2018 BIOCELL 43 (suppl. 4), 2019 ABSTRACTS ISSN 0327- 9545 A1 – A210 ISSN 1667-5746 (online version) Directive Board President Walter MANUCHA Vicepresident María Verónica PÉREZ CHACA Secretary Miguel W. FORNÉS Treasurer María Eugenia CIMINARI Board Members Juan CHEDIACK Diego GRILLI Silvina ÁLVAREZ Ethel LARREGLE Claudia CASTRO Luis A. LOPEZ Lucía FUENTES Diego CARGNELUTTI Participating Institutions Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Universidad Nacional de San Luis Secretaría de Investigación, Internacional y Posgrado (UNCuyo) Secretaría de Extensión y Vinculación (UNCuyo) Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (UNCuyo) Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UNCuyo) Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia (UNSL) Gobierno de Mendoza Dirección de Investigación, Ciencia y Técnica, Ministerio de Salud, Gobierno de Mendoza Universidad Juan Agustín Maza Centro Científico Tecnología de Mendoza, CONICET Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM, CONICET) Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU, CONICET) Departamento de Asistencia Médico Social Universitario (DAMSU) Sociedad Argentina de Genética (SAG) Asociación Científica de Estudiantes de la Salud (ACES) BIOCELL 43 (suppl. 4), 2019 ABSTRACTS ISSN 0327- 9545 A1 – A210 ISSN 1667-5746 (online version) LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA OPENING LECTURE A1 TIME WAITS FOR NOBODY. BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS AND CLOCKS. Golombek DA Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Investigador Superior, CONICET. All organisms exhibit periodic variations in their physiology and behavior, which are organized around specific frequencies that span from microseconds to years. Among these variations, circadian rhythms (with periods of about 24 h) and interval timing (from seconds to minutes) stand out. These biological rhythms are generated by endogenous clocks, not well characterized for interval timing, but well-known for circadian rhythms. In mammals, the main clock is located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei, which are entrained by environmental cues, mainly the light-dark cycle. In this presentation we shall describe recent advances in the mechanisms of such circadian clock, its synchronization and its relevance for metabolic variables in animal models SYMPOSIUM 1: DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES AND IMMUNITY A2 LEISH-TEC RECOMBINANT VACCINE AGAINST CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS Fernandes AP Vaccine Technology Center (CTVacinas) of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, at the Technology Park of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. [email protected] Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe vector-borne disease of humans and dogs caused by Leishmania parasites. Approximately 0.2 to 0.4 million new human VL cases occur annually worldwide, while the disease occurrence is spreading to regions where it was not previously reported. These alarming figures are primarily due to the impracticality of current control methods based on vector reduction and dog culling and limited diagnostic tools. Thus, efficient prophylactic vaccines and highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools appear to be essential for VL control and badly needed. The current efforts and challenges to develop an efficacious vaccine and more accurate diagnostic tests will be presented and discussed. Special emphasis will be given to the translation research that led to the development of the Leish-Tec® canine vaccine. This amastigote-specific protein A2 plus saponin vaccine is on the Brazilian market since 2008, has been used safely on the prophylaxis of VL in millions of dogs and more recently, as an immutherapeutical alternative for CVL treatment. Moreover, A2-based vaccine formulations have been tested extensively in mice and monkeys; in combination with different adjuvants approved for human use and are therefore a solid base for further vaccine improvements, towards a human VL vaccine. The process of antigen discovery for vaccines against VL also led us to the identification of candidates for serological diagnosis. A new chimeric molecule was used to prototype new ELISA and rapid immunocromatographic tests with high performance, which are ready for registration and commercialization. A3 EVALUATION OF NEW ADJUVANTS TO ENHANCE IMMUNE RESPONSES AND THE PROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF A UNIVERSAL INFLUENZA VACCINE Sanchez MV. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU)-CONICET-CCT-Mendoza Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. This virus provokes annually a high impact in terms of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most influenza vaccines induce antibodies that recognize surface viral proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. These antibodies are capable of neutralizing the virus. However, these proteins mutate constantly on antigenic sites which are recognized by antibodies. Therefore, the virus is able to evade the immune system. Every year the viral strains contained in the vaccine should be updated. The proposed strains are based on the prediction of the strains that will circulate that year. Nevertheless, antigenic mismatches between vaccine strains and circulating virus are frequent. As a result, the protection conferred by vaccines is often not optimal. BIOCELL 43 (suppl. 4), 2019 ABSTRACTS ISSN 0327- 9545 A1 – A210 ISSN 1667-5746 (online version) New vaccines are under development in order to provide an improved immune response which confer protection against new strains. Our laboratory has been developing experimental influenza vaccines which contain a highly conserved antigen, the nucleoprotein (NP). It has been demonstrated that this antigen is able to induce cellular immune responses which confer protection against different strains of influenza. We formulated vaccines with a recombinant NP and new experimental adjuvants. The adjuvants which have been used, are molecules which are recognized by pattern recognition receptors and cytosolic DNA sensors. These compounds are able to activate innate immune response and lead to the stimulation of adaptive immune response. Our studies suggest that the combination of a recombinant NP and new adjuvants promotes an effective antigen-specific immune response which protects mice infected against influenza. In conclusion, the use of adjuvants in new influenza vaccines provides potential benefits to enhance immune responses which confer protection against influenza. A4 IMMUNE RESPONSE TO DEVELOP A VACCINE AGAINST LEISHMANIASIS Germanó, MJ1. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU)-CONICET-CCT-Mendoza Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by flagellated parasites belonging to Leishmania genus and transmitted by phlebotominae sandflies. Leishmaniasis is distributed in 98 countries of the world; in Argentina, the endemic areas are the Northwest and Northeast regions of the country. Leishmania parasites present two different stages: the intracellular amastigote localized in the mammalian polymorphonuclear cells and the extracellular promastigote, presents in the sanfly vector. This disease manifests different clinical forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis, mainly depending on the species of Leishmania involved. There is currently no vaccine against human leishmaniasis. In order to develop that, it is important to considerate the immunology of susceptibility and resistance to leishmaniasis, which depends on the genetic background of host and the specie, and even the specie of Leishmania involved. In consequence, it is possible that a vaccine is effective against one Leishmania specie but not against others. Our research group has been developing first generation vaccine, using Total L. amazonensis Antigens (TLA) which combined with Poly(I:C) and/or Montanide ISA 763 produce a Th1 like immune response and protect against L. amazonensis infection. Using serums of vaccinated mice, immunoproteomic assay was made in order to identify and select the immunodominant antigens, and therefore develop third generation vaccines. SYMPOSIUM 2: CHRONOBIOLOGY A5 IT’S WORM TIME. CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN Caenorhabditis elegans Golombek DA Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Investigador Superior, CONICET. Circadian rhythms are driven by endogenous biological clocks and are synchronized to environmental cues. Diverse model systems – including mice, flies, fungi, plants and bacteria – have shed light on the mechanisms of circadian rhythmicity. However, general principles that govern the circadian clock of Caenorhabditis elegans have remained largely elusive. We have demonstrated circadian rhythms in several variables in C. elegans, including locomotor activity, stress resistance, enzymatic activity, pharyngeal pumping, oxygen consumption and defecation. In addition, we have found evidence of photic and thermal synchronization of locomotion through a lite-1/tax-2/4 related pathway. Finally, we have also developed a bioluminescent system to record oscillations in gene expression in C. elegans and demonstrated the main features of its circadian system. A6 CIRCADIAN DYSFUNCTION AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: A RELATIONSHIP OF DEPENDENCE? Navigatore Fonzo L. Lab. de Cronobiología, IMIBIO-CONICET-UNSL, SL. E-mail: [email protected] Circadian rhythms are generated by an internal biological clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. This clock entrains the peripheral clocks located in most cells and tissues of the body. The