Pneumocystis carinii is a life-threatening cause of pneumonitis among patients who are immunocompromised because of malignancies, AIDS, or congenital immunodeficiency disorders. P. carinii pneumonia also occurs in children who are immunocompromised on the basis of malnutrition; thus the global significance of P. carinii pneumonia is potentially great. However, because this organism is difficult to work with and because it cannot be cultivated outside an animal host, almost nothing is known about its biology.

The specific focus of Dr. Gigliotti's laboratory is on elucidating the immunopathogenesis of P. carinii pneumonia. He and his colleagues are particularly interested in the surface structure of this organism and in host-parasite interactions, as mediated through surface molecules. This work involves production of monoclonal antibodies, cloning of P. carinii genes (in collaboration with Drs. C. G. Haidaris and Dr. P. J. Simpson), and extensive use of animal models of P. carinii pneumonia. Using these techniques, we have identified and begun to characterize a major surface glycoprotein of P. carinii, and we have shown that passive immunization with a monoclonal antibody to this molecule can partially protect animals from P. carinii pneumonia. It is hoped that these studies will lead to a better understanding of this organism, which in turn will result in better means of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of P. carinii pneumonia.

Wright TW, Pryhuber GS, Chess PR, Wang Z, Notter RH, Gigliotti F. TNF receptor signaling contributes to chemokine secretion, inflammation, and respiratory deficits during Pneumocystis pneumonia. J Immunol. 172:2511-21, 2004.

Wells J, Gigliotti F, Simpson-Haidaris PJ, Haidaris CG. Epitope mapping of a protective monoclonal antibody against Pneumocystis carinii with shared reactivity to Streptococcus pneumoniae surface antigen PspA. Infect Immun. 72:1548-56, 2004.

Gigliotti F, Harmsen AG, Wright TW. Characterization of transmission of Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. muris through immunocompetent BALB/c mice. Infect Immun. 71:3852-6, 2003.

An CL, Gigliotti F, Harmsen AG. Exposure of immunocompetent adult mice to Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. muris by cohousing: growth of P. carinii f. sp. muris and host immune response. Infect Immun. 71:2065-70, 2003.

Koval CE, Gigliotti F, Nevins D, Demeter LM. Immune reconstitution syndrome after successful treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a man with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. Clin Infect Dis. 35:491-3, 2002.

Gigliotti F, Haidaris CG, Wright TW, Harmsen AG. Passive intranasal monoclonal antibody prophylaxis against murine Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Infect Immun. 70:1069-74, 2002.

Morgan DJ, Vargas SL, Reyes-Mugica M, Walterspiel JN, Carver W, Gigliotti F. Identification of Pneumocystis carinii in the lungs of infants dying of sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 20:306-9, 2001.

Vargas SL, Hughes WT, Santolaya ME, Ulloa AV, Ponce CA, Cabrera CE, Cumsille F, Gigliotti F. Search for Primary Infection by Pneumocystis carinii in a Cohort of Normal, Healthy Infants. Clin Infect Dis. 32:855-61, 2001.

Wright TW, Notter RH, Wang Z, Harmsen AG, Gigliotti F. Pulmonary inflammation disrupts surfactant function during Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Infect Immun. 69:758-64, 2001.

Vargas SL, Ponce CA, Gigliotti F, Ulloa AV, Prieto S, Munoz MP, Hughes WT. Transmission of Pneumocystis carinii DNA from a patient with P. carinii pneumonia to immunocompetent contact health care workers. J Clin Microbiol. 38:1536-8, 2000.

Lee LH, Gigliotti F, Wright TW, Simpson-Haidaris PJ, Weinberg GA, Haidaris CG. Molecular characterization of KEX1, a kexin-like protease in mouse Pneumocystis carinii. Gene. 242:141-50, 2000.

Wright TW, Gigliotti F, Finkelstein JN, McBride JT, An CL, Harmsen AG. Immune-mediated inflammation directly impairs pulmonary function, contributing to the pathogenesis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. J Clin Invest. 104:1307-17, 1999.