In response to the NIH Program Announcement calling for more basic information regarding the biology, immunology and pathogenesis of this disease, the investigators present the hypothesis that past failures in vaccine development against tuberculosis have been due to the inability to emulate the immunogenicity of the whole bacillus due to failure to recognize the importance of appendages that covalently modify key protective protein antigens. The differential immunological reactivity of native and E. coli recombinant forms of mycobacterial proteins as well as our own preliminary data support this principle. Recently, the investigators provided definitive chemical proof that some M tuberculosis proteins are glycosylated. They have now extended these studies to demonstrate that the M tuberculosis proteome possesses a number of such structures and that glycosylation plays a direct role in immunological recognition of M tuberculosis proteins, facts which now portend new approaches to vaccine and serodiagnostic antigen development. To address the issue of the contribution of aprotein components to immunological recognition of protein antigens, they will (i) exploit their proven strengths in protein chemistry to demonstrate the relative abundance of glycoproteins in the M tuberculosis proteome and provide a precise chemical characterization for a large number of these molecules; (ii) apply this structural information, some of which is already in hand, to immunological assays in both the human and murine systems, to provide a detailed understanding of how the host's acquired immune system responds to M tuberculosis glycoproteins; and (iii) initiate studies of the biosynthesis of the post-translationally modified, and specifically mannosylated, proteins, which will yield information and new tools for full evaluation of the general biological, particularly immunological, significance of protein glycosylation and lipidation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI044042-05
Application #
6627877
Study Section
Bacteriology and Mycology Subcommittee 2 (BM)
Program Officer
Sizemore, Christine F
Project Start
1999-02-01
Project End
2005-01-31
Budget Start
2003-02-01
Budget End
2005-01-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$237,107
Indirect Cost
Name
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Veterinary Medicine
DUNS #
785979618
City
Fort Collins
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80523