# IMMUNOREACTIVE MACROMOLECULES OF COCCIDIOIDES CELL TYPES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 1991 · $217,164

## Abstract

Coccidioides immitis is a fungal respiratory pathogen of humans and
causative agent of valley fever (coccidioidomycosis). Exposure to the
airborne, infectious cells (arthroconidia) can lead to a range of
clinical disease from a benign, self-limited infectious cells
(arthroconidia) can lead to a range of clinical disease from a benign,
self-limited infection to a severe, progressive and often fatal mycosis
involving pulmonary and extrapulmonary tissues. Immunologically
compromising illnesses, although present in some patients, are not
prerequisite to infection by C. immitis. There exists a consistent and
predictable immunological pattern in patients at various stages of
coccidioidomycosis, which may be related to initial exposure to the
arthroconidia, followed by repeated exposure to soluble antigenic
fractions of primarily wall origin during the parasitic cycle (i.e.,
spherule-endospore phase). Our hypothesis is that arthroconidia,
spherules, and endospores of C. immitis elicit different host responses
because of qualitative and/or quantitative differences in the antigenic
composition of their cell wall to which the host is originally exposed.
It has been possible to isolate soluble, antigenic complexes from the
cell envelopes off arthroconidia and spherules grown in vitro,
characterize their immunoreactivity in humoral and cellular immunoassays,
and obtain purified components using various separation techniques. In
the proposed investigations we will characterize these purified
components on the basis of their chemical composition, antigenic identity
in standardized immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion tests, and
relative immunoreactivity in assays which measure patient antibody
adsorption and T-cell response to the homogeneous fractions. We will also
examine the biological function of these purified components, with focus
on their possible enzymatic activity and impact on fungal morphogenesis
and host invasion. Our recent development of a cDNA expression library
and the availability of a genomic library for C. immitis permits
application of recombinant DNA technology in our further characterization
of these purified, wall-associated fractions. Initially, we will screen
the libraries using selected immunoprobes and oligonucleotide probes
corresponding to those selected fractions with established significance
in host antibody response, tissue invasion, or C. immitis morphogenesis,
and clone the genes which regulate production off the homologous fusion
peptides. Ultimately, we will determine expression of these genes during
arthroconidium-spherule-endospore development in vitro. We believe that
this comprehensive approach to the study of C. immitis antigens will lead
to a better understanding of the pattern of immunological response by the
host and factors which contribute to pathogenicity, as well as identify
potential diagnostic DNA probes and molecular targets for development of
novel antifungal compounds.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128558
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019149-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **SAM.gov UEI:** V6AFQPN18437
- **Principal Investigator:** GARRY Thomas COLE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $217,164
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-09-01 → 1992-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128558

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128558, IMMUNOREACTIVE MACROMOLECULES OF COCCIDIOIDES CELL TYPES (5R01AI019149-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128558. Licensed CC0.

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