# Optimization of protective antibodies response against bacterial adhesins

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $173,664

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The primary goal of this proposal is to understand how conformational properties of the major pathogenesis
factor of E. coli - most common, type 1 fimbrial adhesin of E. coli - defines its ability to elicit a protective
antibody response as a vaccine candidate against urinary tract infections caused by E. coli. FimH is an
adhesive subunit of the type 1 fimbriae and is one of the major factors in the ability of E. coli to bing human
urothelium and cause urinary tract infection. We determined that the mannose-binding lectin domain of FimH
can assume two conformational states - with a high- and low-affinity towards terminally-exposed mannosyl
residues. The conformational shift in FimH is highly dynamic in nature and is the basis of the ability of FimH to
mediate shear-enhanced bacterial adhesion, bind fast and strongly human cell receptors and shed bound
antibodies. We intend to perform a comprehensive functional analysis of antibodies against both
conformational states of FimH to analyze the conformational switch in FimH in the context of the immune
response against the adhesive protein.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10890155
- **Project number:** 5R21AI178593-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark Cartwright
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $173,664
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-18 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10890155

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10890155, Optimization of protective antibodies response against bacterial adhesins (5R21AI178593-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10890155. Licensed CC0.

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