Mannose-binding lectin serum levels are low in persons with clinically active coccidioidomycosis.

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a circulating collectin that is part of the innate immune response. We explored the serum levels of MBL in persons with different forms of coccidioidomycosis.

Methods: Serum MBL was measured by ELISA from samples obtained from healthy donors with immunity to Coccidioides, and those with various forms of active coccidioidomycosis.

Variation in cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses to peptides derived from tyrosinase-related protein-2.

In this study, we developed three optimized peptide ligands (OPL) that demonstrate increased affinities for HLA-A*0201 compared with wild-type tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2) peptide. The OPL contain amino acids from TRP-2((180-188)) and preferred primary and auxiliary HLA-A*0201 anchor residues. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lines were generated against wild-type TRP-2 peptide and OPL by multiple rounds of peptide stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HLA-A2*0201(+) healthy individuals.

Spherules derived from Coccidioides posadasii promote human dendritic cell maturation and activation.

Previous studies have shown that dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with T27K, an antigenic preparation derived from spherules (of Coccidioides posadasii), activate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from nonimmune subjects as well as from patients with disseminated coccidioidomycosis. In this study, we have assessed the interaction between human DC and C. posadasii spherules in order to better understand the initial response between Coccidioides and the human host.

The mannose receptor mediates the cellular immune response in human coccidioidomycosis.

Mannose is the predominant monosaccharide in the coccidioidal antigen preparation T27K. Mannan and anti-CD206 antibody significantly decreased the surface expression of mannose receptor (MR) on adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells and reduced the interleukin-2 (IL-2) release induced by T27K. These data suggest that MR mediates IL-2 release by T27K.

Her-2/ neu altered peptide ligand-induced CTL responses: implications for peptides with increased HLA affinity and T-cell-receptor interaction.

In this study, we developed two Her-2/ neu-derived E75 altered peptide ligands (APLs) that demonstrate increased affinities for the HLA-A*0201 allele compared with wild-type E75 peptide. The APLs contain amino acids from E75(369-377), an immunodominant Her-2/ neu-derived peptide, and preferred primary and auxiliary HLA-A*0201 molecule anchor residues previously identified from combinatorial peptide library screening with the recombinant molecule. CTL lines were generated against wild-type E75 peptide (KIFGSLAFL) and APLs by multiple rounds of peptide stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HLA-A2+ antigen normal individuals.

Functional characterization of CTL against gp100 altered peptide ligands.

In this study, four modified gp100 peptides were designed by combining amino acids from the melanoma peptide antigen gp100((209-217)) with preferred primary and auxiliary HLA-A *0201 anchor residues previously identified from combinatorial peptide library screening with recombinant HLA-A*0201. These modified peptides demonstrated stronger binding affinity for the HLA-A*0201 molecule compared to wild-type gp100 peptide. Nine CTL lines generated from patients immunized with the g209-2 M peptide and one CTL line from a non-immunized patient were tested for the ability to respond to these modified gp100 peptides.