Role of B cells in vaccine-induced immunity against coccidioidomycosis.

We investigated secondary immunity against coccidioidomycosis by using gene expression microarrays. Surprisingly, a high percentage of B-cell-related genes were associated with protective immunity. A functional confirmation of the importance of B cells against coccidioidomycosis was achieved by demonstrating that vaccination was not fully protective in B-cell-deficient MuMT mice.

Identification of a protective antigen of Coccidioides immitis by expression library immunization.

Coccidioides immitis is a fungal pathogen of humans and is classified as a Select Agent. We have identified a new potential vaccine candidate for this pathogen using cDNA expression library immunization (ELI). A C.