IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS

T细胞和B细胞介导的免疫被认为在隐孢子虫感染的根除和保护中起作用，但人类宿主防御的特定组分介导成功免疫的机制尚不清楚。虽然许多隐孢子虫蛋白质已被确定，但它们的功能和意义都不清楚。 隐孢子虫与其靶宿主细胞肠上皮细胞的相互作用，以及寄生虫蛋白在这种相互作用中的作用也很少研究。在拟议的研究中，我们将把十多年临床试验工作中获得的经验和生物样品带到实验室，以便开始解开隐孢子虫通过与肠上皮细胞相互作用触发免疫应答的机制。 在我们对艾滋病慢性隐孢子虫病患者的系列血清样本的初步分析中，我们发现感染的完全临床和寄生虫学解决与活跃的体液免疫应答相一致，特别是与针对33 kD隐孢子虫蛋白（p-33）的免疫球蛋白的产生相一致。该项目的重点是表征p-33和调查其作为毒力因子的潜在作用。此外，拟议的研究提供了一种新的方法来研究隐孢子虫感染的免疫功能，因为它们将集中在p-33作为T细胞抗原的潜在作用。我们的具体目标是：（1）表征33 kD隐孢子虫蛋白，和（2）探索p- 33作为T细胞依赖性抗原的潜在作用。 由于没有与目标2相关的工作模型，我们采用了一种创新方法来开发有用的模型，用于研究肠道对隐孢子虫的免疫力。

Both T- and B-cell mediated immunity are believed to play a role in the eradication of and protection from cryptosporidial infections but the mechanisms by which specific components of human host defense mediate successful immunity are unknown. Although many cryptosporidial proteins have been identified, neither their function nor their significance is known. The interaction of Cryptosporidium with its target host cell, the intestinal epithelial cell, and the role of parasite proteins in this interaction has also been little studied. In the proposed studies we will bring the experience and biological samples obtained in over ten years of clinical trials work to the bench in order to begin to unravel the mechanisms by which Cryptosporidium triggers an immune response by virtue of its interaction with the intestinal epithealial cell. In our preliminary analysis of serial serum samples from AIDS patients with chronic cryptosporidiosis, we found that complete clinical and parasitologic resolution of infection coincides with a brisk humoral immune response, and specifically with generation of immunoglobulin directed against a 33 kD cryptosporidial protein (p-33). This project focuses on characterization of p-33 and investigation of its potential role as a virulence factor. Furthermore, the proposed studies provide a novel approach to the study of immune function in cryptosporidial infection because they will focus on the potential role of p-33 as a T-cell antigen. Our specific aims are to: (1) characterize the 33 kD cryptosporidial protein, and (2) explore the potential role of p- 33 as a T-cell dependent antigen. As there are no models in place for work related to Aim 2, we have adopted an innovative approach for developing useful models for the study of intestinal immunity against Cryptosporidium.