title: Protein targets for broad-spectrum mycosis vaccines: quantitative proteomic analysis of Aspergillus and Coccidioides and comparisons with other fungal pathogens.
abstract: Aspergillus species are responsible for most cases of fatal mold infections in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Experimental vaccines in mouse models have demonstrated a promising avenue of approach for the prevention of aspergillosis, as well as infections caused by other fungal pathogens, such as Coccidioides, the etiological agent of valley fever (coccidioidomycosis). Here, we investigated the hyphal proteomes of Aspergillus fumigatus and Coccidioides posadasii via quantitative MS(E)  mass spectrometry with the objective of developing a vaccine that cross-protects against these and other species of fungi. Several homologous proteins with highly conserved sequences were identified and quantified in A. fumigatus and C. posadasii. Many abundant proteins from the cell wall of A. fumigatus present themselves as possible cross-protective vaccine candidates, due to the high degree of sequence homology to other medically relevant fungal proteins and low homologies to human or murine proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA.
authors.forename: Jackson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Champer
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diaz-Arevalo
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Champer
authors.forename: Teresa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Mayyen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shannahoff
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Karl V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Clemons
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalkum
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003045:Coccidioides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005657:Fungal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D020543:Proteome
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D005657:Fungal Vaccines; D020543:Proteome