# IMMUNOGENS OF T PALLIDUM:  IDENTIFICATION AND FUNCTION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1988 · $154,694

## Abstract

The subspecies of Treponema pallidum cause chronic infections,
of which syphilis and yaws are the most common, that affect well
over one million persons throughout the world.  The diseases are
characterized by periods of early and late active disease,
interrupted by periods of latency lasting from weeks to decades.
Although the major antigens of Treponema pallidum have been
under investigation for the past five years, the mechanisms of the
host's immune response to syphilis have not been well
characterized in terms of individual treponemal antigens.  This
application proposes the continued characterization of the major
protein antigens of Treponema pallidum in terms of physical-
chemical nature and antigenic determinants, and an examination
of the cellular and humoral mechanisms triggered by these
individual antigens.  The characterizations of the cellular immune
response of syphilitic rabbits to individual treponemal antigens
will be examined using lymphocyte proliferation and lymphokine
release assays.  In order to determine which antigens stimulate
the production of antibodies with defined anti-treponemal
function, monospecific antibodies against individual antigenic
molecules will be produced; they will be characterized in terms of
their ability to immobilize, neutralize, and opsonize Treponema
pallidum and block treponemal attachment to eukaryotic cells.  In
order to determine the efficacy of immunization with isolated
antigens, humoral and cellular immune responses, and the degree
of resistance to challenge, will be examined in rabbits immunized
with individual treponemal antigens.  It is anticipated that these
studies will provide a clearer definition of the important antigenic
molecules of Treponema pallidum and the immune response to
individual treponemal antigens; these findings may serve as the
basis for the development of more specific serodiagnostic tests
and, ultimately, effective immunization procedures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128407
- **Project number:** 5R01AI018988-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **Principal Investigator:** Sheila A. Lukehart
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $154,694
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-03-01 → 1990-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128407

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128407, IMMUNOGENS OF T PALLIDUM:  IDENTIFICATION AND FUNCTION (5R01AI018988-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128407. Licensed CC0.

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