Antigens of
A surface protein of the murine fungal pathogen Pneumocystis murina can be used to generate an immune response in a recipient animal or human that provides prophylactic protection and an anti-fungal activity in subjects already infected with a Pneumocystis species. Further, the disclosure provides novel polypeptides or peptides derived from the P. murina surface protein Surface Peptidase 1 (SPD-1) that are useful, alone or in combination with the SPD-1 polypeptide, in compositions and methods for the generation of an anti- Pneumocystis immune reaction by a recipient subject. The compositions and methods of the disclosure provide advantageous alternatives to available immunogenic determinants for the treatment or prevention of fungal pneumonia.
1. An immunogenic composition comprising an isolated Surface Peptidase 1 (SPD-1) polypeptide of Pneumocystis murina and having the sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1 or an immunogenic fragment thereof, wherein the fragment has an amino acid sequence of at least 90% similarity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 4, and wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and an adjuvant, wherein the adjuvant is MF-59, and is formulated to induce an anti- Pneumocystis immune response when administered to an animal or human recipient.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic fragment of the SPD-1 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2 or 4.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic fragment of the SPD-1 polypeptide has the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4.
4. A method of generating an immune response to a Pneumocystis infection in an animal comprising administering to said animal the immunogenic composition of claim 1 .
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the Pneumocystis infection is in a human and the infectious agent is P. jirovecii.
6. A kit comprising a container containing a therapeutic amount of an immunogenic composition according to claim 1 and instructions directing the use of the composition in generating an immune response in a recipient animal or human.