# SURFACE ANTIGENS OF HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B

> **NIH NIH R01** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 1988 · $163,636

## Abstract

The proposed research project will investigate both the outer
membrane proteins and lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of Haemophilus
influenzae type beta (Hib) as potential vaccine candidates and as
possible virulence factors.  (i) Molecular genetic methods will be
used to clone the genes encoding selected Hib surface proteins
into Escherichia coli.  Both native Hib cells and recombinant E.
coli cells expressing these Hib surface proteins will be used as
sources of these surface antigens which will be purified by the use
of monoclonal antibody-based immunoaffinity systems.  The
ability of these purified Hib proteins to induce protective
immunity against systemic Hib disease will be evaluated in an
infant rat model.  The availability of these cloned genes encoding
major outer membrane proteins of Hib will also permit
experimental investigation of the possible involvement of these
surface proteins in the expression of virulence by Hib.  (ii) Hib LOS
will be investigated as a possible source of vaccinogen
components.  Oligosaccharides derived from Hib LOS will be
covalently coupled to carrier proteins to generate non-toxic
immunogens.  These oligosaccharide-protein conjugates will be
tested for their ability to induce the synthesis of LOS-directed
antibodies which protect against experimental Hib disease.  (iii)
The association between changes in LOS phenotype and changes in
the virulence of Hib will be investigated by the use of mutant
analysis.  Chemically-induced mutants of Hib unreactive with
LOS-directed monoclonal antibodies will be identified in a colony
blot-radioimmunoassay.  These mutations will be genetically
transformed into the wild-type parental strain to construct
isogenic sets of LOS mutants.  The effect of specific LOS
mutations on the virulence of Hib will be studied in a number of
different systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3127307
- **Project number:** 2R01AI017621-08
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** YZJ6DKPM4W63
- **Principal Investigator:** Eric John Hansen
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $163,636
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1980-12-01 → 1992-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3127307

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3127307, SURFACE ANTIGENS OF HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B (2R01AI017621-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3127307. Licensed CC0.

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