Aspergillus fumigatus antigens

• Published in: Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) Vol. 141; no. 10; pp. 2699 - 2704
• Main Authors: Lopez-Medrano, R, Ovejero, M. C, Calera, J. A, Puente, P, Leal, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.10.1995; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Antibodies, Fungal - blood; Antigens, Fungal; Aspergillosis - immunology; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus fumigatus - immunology; Aspergillus nidulans; Biological and medical sciences; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycopeptides - immunology; Glycoproteins - isolation & purification; Glycoproteins - metabolism; Hexosaminidases - metabolism; Humans; Immunoblotting; Microbiology; Morphology, structure, chemical composition; Mycology; Subcellular Fractions - immunology; Human; Composition; Mycosis; Host agent relation; Immunodominance; Cytosol; Fungi; Infection; Antigen; Aspergillomata; Aspergillosis; Serum; Fungi Imperfecti; Two dimensional electrophoresis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/13500872-141-10-2699

Departamento de Microbiología y Genética and Instituto de Microbiologia Bioquímica, Universidad de Salamanca/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, 37007 Salamanca, Spain ABSTRACT Summary: Cytosolic fractions of mycelial extracts from Aspergillus nidulans, A. flavus , and three different isolates of A. fumigatus , grown to stationary phase in Czapek-Dox-AOAC medium, were tested by immunoblotting for the presence of antigens reactive to 80 serum samples from aspergilloma patients. Fifty control serum samples were used to determine the specificity of the reactions. In the A. fumigatus cytosolic fraction a group of four main antigenic bands (p90, p60, p40 and p37) was consistently recognized (in total or partial form) by 90% of the serum samples from the aspergilloma patients. This group of antigens was designated as the ‘cytosolic fraction complex’ (CFC). As confirmed by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting with aspergilloma serum samples, each of the four antigenic bands is formed of several isoforms of acidic glycopeptides with slightly different pls. All the isoforms are at least N -glycosylated, as demonstrated by endoglycosidase H removal of a considerable amount of sugar residues. The relationship of these antigens with certain other A. fumigatus antigens previously reported in the literature, and their potential use in the immunodiagnosis of aspergilloma, are discussed. Tel: +34 23 294400 ext. 1947. Fax: +34 23 267970. e-mail: fleal@gugu.usal.es Keywords: Aspergillus , aspergilloma, immunodiagnostics, fungal antigens