# LYMPHATIC LESION PATHOGENESIS IN BRUGIA-INFECTED JIRDS

> **NIH NIH R01** · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE · 1993 · $201,868

## Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis caused by the nematode parasites Brugia malayi and
Wuchereria bancrofti continues to cause considerable morbidity in human
populations.  An understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease is
minimal.  The long term goal of the proposed studies is to define the
pathogenic mechanisms active in these infections using the Brugia
pahangi-jird model system.  Four specific aims are proposed. Specific Aim
1 is to identify the effect of protective immune responses on induction and
modulation of lymphatic lesions.  This will be accomplished by
qualitatively and quantitatively assessing lesions and immune responses in
vaccinated and subsequently challenged jirds. Specific Aim 2 is to identify
the parasite life cycle stages and factors responsible for the decreased
inflammatory responses seen during chronic infections.  The course of
inflammatory reactions and immune responses of jirds with infections
initiated by L-3, L4, adult male, adult female and microfilariae will be
compared, and the relative inflammatory inducing and regulating potential
of these individual life cycle stages assessed. Specific Aim 3 is to
characterize T-cell associated responses related to the induction and
regulation of Brugia-induced granulomatous inflammatory responses.  T-cell
lines and clones and lymphocyte populations from jirds with acute and
chronic infections will be characterized functionally and by the presence
of cytokine specific m-RNAs. Specific Aim 4 will identify Brugia proteins
responsible for the induction of the granulomatous inflammatory response.
Fractions of worm extracts or secretions will be tested in vivo for their
ability to induce granulomas when coupled to sepharose beads and embolized
into the lungs of jirds with acute and chronic infections.  Purified
proteins cloned from Brugia DNA, and indicated to have potential
immunologic reactivity by our collaborators will similarly be assayed in
this model system.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128569
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019199-10
- **Recipient organization:** LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** ECQEYCHRNKJ4
- **Principal Investigator:** THOMAS R. KLEI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $201,868
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-03-01 → 1996-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128569

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128569, LYMPHATIC LESION PATHOGENESIS IN BRUGIA-INFECTED JIRDS (5R01AI019199-10). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128569. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*