Identification of pneumocystis antigens and uses thereof

US10596237B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education · US
• University of New Orleans · US
• BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE · US

Inventors

• Jay K. Kolls · Pittsburgh, US
• Mingquan Michael Zheng · Via Enrico Fermi, US
• Yang Cai · New Orleans, US
• Taylor John Eddens · Pittsburgh, US
• David RICKS · Pittsburgh, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 24, 2020
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2800/26
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Pneumonia due to the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii is a life-threatening infection that occurs in immunocompromised patients. The inability to culture the organism as well as the lack of a sequenced genome has hindered antigen discovery that could be useful in developing effective vaccines, therapeutic antibodies and diagnostic methods. A method of surface proteomics of Pneumocystis murina that reliably detects surface proteins that are conserved in Pneumocystis jirovecii is described. In particular, eight identified P. murina surface proteins are described. Methods of eliciting immune responses against the identified proteins, generating therapeutic antibodies against the identified proteins, as well as diagnostic methods based on the identified peptides are described.