# CANDIDA ALBICANS ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES

> **NIH NIH R01** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 1987 · $90,889

## Abstract

Nosocomial infections account for billions of dollars in hospital costs per
year.  Candidiasis is a problem of considerable importance in patients
undergoing many forms of cancer therapy, including immunosuppression,
chemotherapy and heroic surgery, and also in AIDS patients.  The
disseminated form of the disease is also a very common infectious
complication in AIDS patients.  The diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis
remains an enigma for the clinician.  Many individuals responding to
chemotherapy for cancer will be afflicted with the invasive form of
candidiasis.  Since the majority of these cases are caused by C. albicans,
a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract of man, we have been
analyzing components of mycelial phase (invasive phase) of this organism
with respect to their antibody response in patients with invasive disease.
In the last 4 years we have identified the antigens from the mycelial phase
of this antigenically complex microorganism which appear to be important
proteins to which only patients with disseminated disease produce
antibodies.  We have translated in vitro mRNA of C. albicans and have shown
that sera from patients with candidiasis recognize translation products
which immunoprecipitate at the same molecular weight as one of these
proteins.  This will allow us to circumvent the problems inherent in the
production of antigenic materials.  We have also produced monoclonal and
polyclonal antibodies to these proteins.  It is believed that these
antibodies will be of utmost importance in detecting antigens in patients
with malignant diseases, since their antibody response may be diminished
because of cancer chemotherapy.

The aims of this proposal are:

1) To continue our studies on isolation and characterization of the
antigens of C. albicans important in the diagnosis of systemic disease

2) To use antibodies to these antigens for antigen detection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125837
- **Project number:** 5R01AI014695-08
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **SAM.gov UEI:** QD4MGHFDJKU1
- **Principal Investigator:** HELEN BUCKLEY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $90,889
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1977-09-01 → 1989-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125837

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125837, CANDIDA ALBICANS ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES (5R01AI014695-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125837. Licensed CC0.

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