# SURFACE PROTEINS OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE

> **NIH NIH R01** · ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $140,539

## Abstract

Gonorrhoeal disease affects over 2 million people per year in the
U.S.  Controlling this epidemic disease at present is a major
problem even though treatment with antibiotics is available and
effective.  Currently no vaccine has been found to be protective
against a wide spectrum of gonococci.  Several different antigens
are potentially good vaccine candidates such as pili and porins.
However, there are others that might potentially be hazardous such
as protein 111 and the lipooligosaccharides.  The basic aims of
this proposal is to understand the basic antigenicity of three
proteins i.e. pili, protein I. and protein III.

Because the portion on the pilus protein which adheres to human
cells is produced during the assembly of this structure from
monomers, this process will be examined in detail.  Several
epitopes available on monomers become concealed during this
assembly.  Through epitope mapping with monoclonal antibodies to
the monomer, these epitopes will be defined.  Furthermore,
epitopes which remain exposed will also be defined.  These same
monoclonal antibodies with defined epitopes will be used to
understand the binding of this molecule to human cells.

The porins, the gonococcal proteins I, are less variable than most
other proteins of the organism.  Through epitope mapping by
monoclonal antibodies raised to different porins, a region of this
molecule which is common to all porins will be defined.  Also, an
area which divides these porins into two major classes will be
defined.  The monoclonal antibodies to these defined regions will
be evaluated as to their bactericidal and opsonic activity.

Certain epitopes on protein III evoke antibodies which potentially
block the otherwise potent bactericidal antibodies to other
antigens on the bacterium.  These exposed epitopes will be defined
with monoclonal antibodies raised to the purified protein.  How
these epitopes interact with protein I will be explored.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128804
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019469-07
- **Recipient organization:** ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** LHGDNJMZ64Y1
- **Principal Investigator:** Milan S. Blake
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $140,539
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1982-02-01 → 1991-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128804

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128804, SURFACE PROTEINS OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE (5R01AI019469-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128804. Licensed CC0.

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