# IMMUNOLOGY OF INFECTION WITH NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON CITY HOSPITAL · 1988 · $173,431

## Abstract

The goal of this investigation is to study and characterize gonococcal
antigens.  Their role in promoting specific types of inflammation in the
variety of clinical syndromes produced by N. gonorrhoeae will also be
studied.  Human antibodies with specificity for distinct outer membrane
(OM) antigens and their derivatives will be studied for their ability to
kill organisms in the presence of complement (C') (antibodies directed
against LOSs and their derivatives) and in abrogating this function.  OM
antigens and their derivatives will be harvested and chemical and physical
techniques will be used to isolate, purify and characterize the antigens.
Individual OM proteins (OMP's) including PI and PIII and oligosaccharide
antigens derived from LOS's will be prepared.  Sensitive immunologic assays
will be utilized to detect antibodies directed against important antigens.
Specific interactions of gonococcal antigens with antibody and C' will be
examined to characterize the effect of antigen diversity upon the different
clinical syndromes produced by N. gonorrhoeae.  The liposome membrane model
has been adapted to the study of these interactions and will be further
utilized.  Gonococci will be captured directly from secretions of infected
patients who have had their disease carefully classified.  Monoclonal
antibodies will be used for capture and organisms will then be examined for
surface bound immunoglobulins and C' components by ELISA.  C' component
proteins, and specific antibody activity directed against LOS and OMP
antigens of infecting gonococci will be measured in secretions of infected
patients by ELISA.  The identification of host proteins on the surface of
gonococci and the measurement and characterization of these proteins in
secretions will permit an assessment of the biologic mechanisms that
operate in patients with different clinical manifestations of disease.
This will provide an understanding of how individual hosts respond to
gonococcal infection as well as how individual strains of gonococci cause
unique manifestations of disease.  The serologic specificity of cell wall
LOS and their derivatives will also be studied in attempts to identify
antibody responses to common LOS antigen determinants.  Important clinical
and epidemiologic questions will be answered by jointly identifying
gonococcal antigens and their corresponding immunologic activity.  Antigens
that might elicit a protective response to infection will be identified
and, if suitable, will be studied for use as a vaccine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3126307
- **Project number:** 5R01AI015633-09
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON CITY HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter A. Rice
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $173,431
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1978-12-01 → 1989-05-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3126307

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3126307, IMMUNOLOGY OF INFECTION WITH NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE (5R01AI015633-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3126307. Licensed CC0.

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