Gonococci and Meningococci

Section 1:Epidemiology and vaccination.- Epidemiology and vaccination.- Class 1 OMP subtyping of meningococci.- The reduction of nitrite by Neisseria meningitidis. Relation to serogroup and serotype.- Monoclonal antibody analysis of meningococcal disease strains isolated in Canada.- Outcome of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C infection in a small outbreak of disease.- Epidemiology of meningococcal (sub)types in the Netherlands.- Tetravalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Relationship of dose to immunogenicity and reactogenicity in young adults.- Plasma LPS and clinical pictures in meningococcal disease.- Serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Clinical and epidemiological applications.- Epidemiology of meningococcal disease in Switzerland, 1980-1986:Using monoclonal antibodies to classify disease-related isolates.- Intercontinental spread of Neisseria meningitidis clones of the ET-5 complex.- Serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Serovars associated with homosexually acquired infection.- A Clonal analysis of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A.- Epidemiology of infections with pathogenic Neisseriae in Sweden.- Immunoglobulin isotype deficiency and response to meningococcal polysaccharides.- Appearance of new strains associated with group B meningococcal disease and their use for rapid vaccine development.- Monitoring of systemic meningococcal isolates from Norway.- Immune response to meningococcal serogroup B polysaccharide and serotype 2a outer membrane complex vaccines.- DNA hybridisation between the gonococcal cryptic plasmid and plasmids isolated from Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica.- Types and subtypes of group B meningococci isolated in Finland from 1976 through April 1986.- Distribution and frequency of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with plasmid-mediated, high- level resistance to tetracycline (TRNG) in the United States.- Distribution and temporal changes in Neisseria gonorrhoeae auxotype/serovar classes in Seattle, Washington.- High-level tetracycline resistance associated with tetM in Neisseria meningitidis and other Neisseriaceae.- Characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from prostitutes with single and multiple infections.- Antigenicity of meningococcal group B oligo- and polysaccharides of defined chain length.- Acquisition of the streptococcal tetM determinant by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Comparison of meningococcal outer membrane protein vaccines, solubilized with detergent or C polysaccharide.- Evaluation of sampling methods for surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain populations.- Association of meningococcal serogroups and types with the course of disease, the Netherlands 1959-1983 (n = 1221).- Immunogenic activity of gonococcal PI in mice delivered in liposomes, iscoms and detergent complexes.- DNA sandwich - hybridisation assay of the cryptic plasmid from Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- The prevalence and characteristics of arginine, hypoxanthine and uracil requiring strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated at two London hospitals.- An epidemiological and serological study on duration of protection after meningococcal Group A polysaccharide (APS) vaccination.- Human bactericidal antibody response to meningococcal outer membrane protein vaccines.- Section 2:Genetic aspects of antigenic diversity.- Neisseria genetics.- Linkage of genetic markers in Ahu strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Specificity in DNA uptake by gonococci.- Genetic and biochemical analyses of protein II.- In vivo loss of gonococcal ?-lactamase plasmid.- Pilin independent binding of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to immobilized glycolipids.- DNA enzymes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Molecular cloning and characterization of a gonococcal surface antigen common to pathogenic Neisseria spp.- The effect of outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharide on the ability of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to transfer plasmids by conjugation to Neisseria cinerea.- Molecular principles of pilus antigenic variation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- The presence of DNA sequences related to a 4.2Kb cryptic plasmid in the chromosomes of plasmid-free strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- The control mechanism of opacity protein expression in the pathogenic Neisseriae.- Sequence analysis of variant pilin genes from Neisseria gonorrhoeae P9 and immunological properties of pilin polypeptides encoded by cloned genes in Escherichia coli.- Three dimensional structure of bacterial pili.- Interstrain homology of pilin gene sequences in Neisseria meningitidis isolates that express markedly different antigenic pilus types.- Cloning of a gene for methionine biosynthesis from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Identification by interspecific complementation of Escherichia coli mutants.- Homology between the indigenous plasmids and chromosome of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Role of restriction and modification on genetic exchange in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Determination of the endonuclease and methylase content of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain P9 and the cloning therefrom of two functional methylase genes.- Gene conversion accounts for pilin structural changes and for reversible piliation "phase" changes in gonococci.- Section 3:Outer membrane protein and IgA-protease.- Outer membrane proteins and IgA-protease.- Neisseria meningitidis - Outer membrane proteins released into the growth medium.- The isolation and partial characterization of naturally-evolved outer membrane blebs of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Monoclonal antibody directed against a surface-exposed protein antigen common in gonococcal strains.- Gonococcal protein III. Purification and chemical characterization of the protein, and the DNA sequence of the structural gene.- Immunobiology of gonococcal outer membrane protein I.- Structural an immunological characterization of cell wall antigens in strains FA638 and CS7 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Characterization of protein I from serum sensitive and serum resistant transformants of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- High resolution two-dimensional analysis of the proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae colony Type 1 and 4, heat shocked and non-heat shocked.- Description of a common, stable, and surface exposed neisserial antigen of 70 kilodaltons.- Characterization of the major iron-regulated protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis.- Purification of native pili and outer membrane vesicles from Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Restriction site polymorphism in genes encoding type 2 but not type 1 gonococcal IgA1 proteases.- Neisseria gonorrhoeae IgA protease. Secretion and implications for pathogenesis.- Examination of a surface exposed epitope on the protein IA molecule of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Development of a tissue culture model for gonococcal invasion.- Antigenic and immunogenic properties of cyanogen bromide peptides from a serotype 5 gonococcal outer membrane protein I.- Characterization of anti-bodies raised to protein I (PI) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by injection with PI - liposome constructs.- Section 4: Lipopolysaccharides, H8 antigen and peptidoglycan.- Lipopolysaccharide, H8 antigen and peptidoglycan in Neisseriae.- Human immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharides.- Phenotypic variation of the antigen expression of the lipooligosaccharide of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Immunochemical characterization of surface antigen common to the pathogenic Neisseria species.- Serum immune response to common pathogenic Neisseria antigen H8 in patients with uncomplicated gonococcal infection and pelvic inflammatory disease.- Peptidoglycan structure in Neisseria gonorrhoeae grown in continuous culture.- A liposome model of bacteriolysis supports the role of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) and anti-LOS antibody in the complement-dependent killing of N. gonorrhoeae.- Antibodies against Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide antigens stimulate neutrophil Chemotaxis.- Three distinct gonococcal genes related to H8 antigens.- Antigenic specificity of natural bactericidal activity for serogroup B and C strains of Neisseria meningitidis in human sera.- The immunochemistry of neisserial LOS.- Spontaneous variation of lipooligosaccharide components and epitopes in a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Analyses of the immunoaccessibility of H8 antigen and of the functionality of H8 specific monoclonal antibody 10.- Structure and immunochemistry of meningococcal lipopolysaccharides.- Electromorphologic characterization of the lipooligosaccharides of group A Neisseria meningitidis.- Monoclonal antibody identification of shared lipooligosaccharide epitopes of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica.- Human immune response to monoclonal antibody - defined epitopes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharides.- Characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes cloned in Escherichia coli K 12.- Promotion of sleep by gonococcal peptidoglycan fragments. Structural requirements for the somnogenic activity.- The gonococcal C Antigen partitions into phenol and is immunogenic in mice.- Alteration of serum sensitivity in Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain DOV by transformation.- Isolation and characterization of the gonococcal H8 antigen.- The H8 antigen of pathogenic Neisseriae.- Section 5: Application of knowledge to study pathogenesis.- Pathogenesis.- Endotoxin liberation from Neisseria meningitidis isolated from carriers and clinical cases.- Chemical nature of binding properties of an opacity-associated Protein II of the gonococcus.- Non-secretion of blood group antigens. A genetic factor predisposing to infection by Neisseria meningitidis.- Exposure to myeloid and other mammalian cells increases Neisseria gonorrhoeae 02 utilization. Implications for pathogenesis.- Anaerobic growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae induces and represses synthesis of outer membrane proteins.- Anaerobically expressed outer membrane proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae are recognized by antibodies present in the sera of PID patients.- Metabolic responses of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to human serum and myeloid cells. Adaptation to host defenses?.- Use of the quinone antibiotic streptonigrin to explore the iron and oxygen metabolism of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Mechanisms of antibiotic action and resistance.- Decreased toxicity of paraquat for gonococci due to glucose concentration.- Characterization of cells responsible for ADCC and natural cytotoxicity against gonococci.- Antibodies to outer membrane protein - macromolecular complex (OMP-MC) are bactericidal for serum-resistant gonococci.- The contribution of the alternative and classical complement pathways to gonococcal killing and C3 fixation.- The role of P.II outer membrane proteins in gonococcus - host cell interactions.- Invasion of tissue culture cells by Neisseria gonorrhoeae colony phenotype variants.- Cell surface hydrophobicity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae colony phenotype variants.- Strain-specific direct binding of properdin accounts for variable lysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- The opsonisation and phagocytosis of group B meningococci by polymorphonuclear leucocytes. A comparison of sulphonamide sensitive and resistant strains.- Influence of iron-limited and excess continuous culture on the virulence properties of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- IgG subclasses reactive with N. gonorrhoeae antigens in the immune response to infection.- Antigenic specificity and biological activity of a monoclonal antibody that is broadly cross reactive with gonococcal protein IIs.- Interaction of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and protein IA with HEp-2 cells.- Enteric immunization reveals a T cell network for IgA responses and suggests that humans possess a common mucosal immune system.- Serum and vaginal fluid antibodies against the major iron-regulated protein in women with gonococcal pelvic inflammatory disease or uncomplicated infection.- The Ability of Neisseriae to use lactoferrin as an iron source depends on the presence of a lactoferrin binding site.- Gonococci in vivo and in vitro - Further studies on the host and bacterial determinants of gonococcal resistance to killing by human serum and by phagocytes.- Differential expression of "Fe-repressible" and "growth-rate-sensitive" proteins in Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Mechanisms of stable serum resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.- Iron and meningococcal disease - S-ferritin, S-iron, and S- total iron binding capacity in meningococcal disease patients and patient controls.- Adherence of Neisseria meningitidis to human buccal and pharyngeal epithelial cells. Relationship to bacteriocin-like substances.- Infant rat model for meningococcal group B infection.- 'Interaction of lysosomal cathepsin G. with N. gonorrhoeae'.- Cytopathic effects of the pathogenic Neisseriae. Studies using human fallopian tube organ cultures and human nasopharyngeal organ cultures.- Polyphosphate-mediated release of iron from transferrin - A possible mechanism for acquisition of iron from transferrin by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.