# HOST RESPONES INEXPERIMENTAL CANDIDIASIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 1991 · $156,232

## Abstract

Candida albicans is a major pathogen in immunocompromised individuals, and
disease often involves large numbers of organisms in the tissue.  As a
consequence, candidal antigen is known to escape into the circulation, and
it is thought to modulate immune responses to Candida, and possibly to
other agents.  We have developed murine model in which circulating mannan
(MAN) induces suppressor T (Ts) lymphocytes which suppress the development
and expression of cellular immune (CMI) phenomena to candidal antigens.  We
have identified, by lymphoid transfers into immunized animals, Ts which are
present in the spleens of naive animals 4 days following the i.v.
administration of MAN  (=4-day MAN Ts cell).  The proposed research is
designed to characterize this cell in more detail phenotypically and
functionally, as well as to attempt to clone the cell.  Phenotypic
characterization of the uncloned cell will involve cell depletion studies,
using various surface-specific antisera and complement, followed by
attempts to transfer suppression to immunized animals with the depleted
populations.  Functional characterizations of the uncloned cell are
designed to determine 1) its in vivo distribution in donor animals, 2) its
specificity in vivo and in vitro CMI assays, 3) its potential to modulate
CMI specific for the non-candidal antigens in transfer studies, and 4) its
potential to modulate protective immunity when transferred to immunized
animals.  Phenotypic characterization of the cloned cell will involve
labeling with fluorescein-labeled antibodies and fluorescence-activated
cell sorting.  Cloned cells will be examined functionally 1) in the
transfer model, assessing MAN-specific and MAN-unrelated CMI, and 2) for
potential cytotoxic activity against natural killer, allogeneic or mitogen-
stimulated targets.  Attempts will be made to determine if the cloned cells
produce soluble suppressor factors and to characterize such factors with
respect to ability to bind antigen and presence of Class II antigens.  If
cloning is unsuccessful, attempts will be made to dissect the suppressor
cell cascade involved in MAN-induced suppression to search for afferent,
transducer and efferent cells.  Phenotypic and functional assays will be
performed as described above, and attempts will be made to detect and
characterize soluble suppressor factors.  Underlying all of these studies
is specific immunity to Candida, and since the nature of protective
(acquired) immunity is poorly defined and controversial, we plan additional
experiments in this area.  Initially, attempts will be made to determine
the role of L3T4+ cells in the development of protective immunity in vivo
by treating animals with anti-L3T4 and determining their susceptibility.
Attempts will made to expand, by mitogen stimulation, the pool of
potentially protective lymphocytes, then use them to transfer protection.
If transfer can be achieved with such cells, they would be phenotype.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125300
- **Project number:** 2R01AI012806-13A1
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** XNY5ULPU8EN6
- **Principal Investigator:** JUDITH E DOMER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $156,232
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1978-07-01 → 1996-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125300

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125300, HOST RESPONES INEXPERIMENTAL CANDIDIASIS (2R01AI012806-13A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125300. Licensed CC0.

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