Project leader was the member of congress scientific committee, responsible for organization of “host pathogen interactions” session and the chair of the session. Some results from the project were also presented: experiments and results, demonstrating that M. synoviae possess membrane associated endonuclease activity (poster) and results from the investigation of immunogenic proteins of avian influenza virus H5N1 (short lecture). All these results are from the first group of announced experiments designed for defining factors of virulence and pathogenicity of mycoplasmas and viruses.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 2506888The contribution was presented as a lecture at the world veterinary congress-poultry association. All new aspects of M. synoviae infection were presented: link between invasive capacity and endonuclease activity of M. synoviae and drop of viability of infected CCH; link between M. synoviae capacity to influence the gene expression in CCH and changes in metabolism of infected CCH. Experiment on phenotype microarray (PM) was one of very few using eukaryotic cells in PM and very first one in the area of host-pathogen interaction experiments using PM.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 2533512In our previous studies, we demonstrated a strong effect of M. synoviae on gene and protein expression of macrophages. In this study, synovial fluids of infected chickens were analysed for presence of local autoantibodies against cartilage proteins. Preliminary results show presence of local autoantibodies against several proteins of chondrocytes and cartilage. Additionally, we performed a cytokine profile of synovial fluids of infected chickens and found presence of IL1-β, IL-6, IFN-α, IL-18, IL-2, IL12 and IFN-γ.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 2745480MS upregulates a number of genes involved in immune response in chickens, but it was not clear whether it changes expression of these genes in chicken embryos. For decades NDV live vaccines have been produced using chicken embryonated eggs for NDV replication, but there was little data about the expression of their innate immune response genes. In this study, the influence of MS and NDV infection on cytokine gene expression in chicken embryos was analyzed. Ten-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicken embryos were infected with MS type strain WVU 1853. Seven days later half of them were additionally inoculated with lentogenic NDV strain LaSota (LSV), whereas, a separate group of 17-day-old SPF embryos was inoculated with LSV only. Untreated SPF embryos represented a control. All embryos were sacrificed on the 19th day and their liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius and thymus used for gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. MS infection resulted in an obvious upregulation of major inflammatory cytokine genes. A significant upregulation of IFN-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-12p40, IL-16, IL-18, MIP-1β (CCL4), iNOS and lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha factor (LITAF) genes was detected, with different expression profiles between the tested tissues. LSV inoculation significantly upregulated only IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-16, and MIP-1β genes in thymus and spleen, but in a lesser extent than MS. This suggests that MS is a more potent activator of cytokine genes in embryos than NDV, although the latter is more pathogenic. When LSV was introduced after on-going MS infection most MS-induced immune genes were significantly downregulated.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 3160968Daliborka Dušanić was a joung researcher, who was invited to join the Novartis dvelopment team after wining the Regional Biocamp. Ljubljana, May 23rd, 2012 - At the conclusion of the Regional BioCamp 2012, the winners of the competition part were announced. As a part of the event, which has been organized for the second time by Lek, a Sandoz Company, for promising science students from the Alpe-Adria region, Daliborka Dušanič from Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana and… ….showed they were the best able to connect the scientific and business way of thinking, which is of key importance for success in the pharmaceutical industry. …The winners of the Regional BioCamp 2012 will join the participants at the annual Novartis International BioCamp, which will be held at the end of August this year in Basel, Switzerland. Together with the top young science experts from all around the globe they will attend a three-day seminar, gaining new knowledge and experience and learning about trends in biotechnology and biopharmacy.
F.14 Improvements to existing production methods and tools or processes