Detection of IgM and IgG antibodies to Cryptococcus neoformans proteins in blood donors and HIV patients with active cryptococcosis

• Published in: Mycoses Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 166 - 170
• Main Authors: Chai, H. C., Tay, S. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2009
• Subjects: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - immunology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; Antibody response; Antigens, Fungal - immunology; Blood Donors; cryptococcosis; Cryptococcosis - immunology; Cryptococcosis - microbiology; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcus neoformans - immunology; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Fungal Proteins - immunology; HIV Infections - complications; HIV patients; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood
• ISSN: 0933-7407; 1439-0507
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2008.01549.x

Summary The serological responses to Cryptococcus neoformans proteins of blood donors and HIV patients with active cryptococcosis from a tropical region were investigated in this study. Exposure to C. neoformans, an organism ubiquitous in the environment, contributes to the antibody responses observed in the blood donors. IgG responses to cryptococcal proteins were stronger than IgM responses in most sera tested in this study. A 53‐kDa cryptococcal protein fragment was identified as the most immunoreactive protein on the IgM immunoblots of both blood donors and patients. Overall, there was no obvious difference in IgG responses of patients when compared with blood donors. Some immunogenic protein fragments (27.5, 76, 78 and 91.5 kDa) were detected at least two times more frequently on IgM immunoblots of patients compared with those of blood donors. It is yet to be investigated whether the proteins identified in this study may have any potential to be used as biomarker for cryptococcosis.