TITLE:
Production, Detection and Cross-Reactivity of Anti-Polysaccharide Antibodies from Environmental Fungi
AUTHORS:
Rafael Andrade Menolli, Thais Soprani Ayala, Pablo Rodrigo da Rosa, Claudia Rejane Lima de Macedo Costa, Erica Fernanda Osaku, Rosiane G. Mello Zibetti
KEYWORDS:
Exopolysaccharides, Environmental Fungi, Immunization
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology,
Vol.5 No.10,
September
17,
2014
ABSTRACT: The diagnosis of
Invasive Fungal Disease (IFD) is difficult because the sensitivity of
conventional culture and cytology methods for the detection of Aspergillus is poor, and because
serological methods exhibit cross-reactivity with environmental fungi. Fungal
polysaccharides are of particular interest in the serologic diagnosis of IFD,
especially galactomannan (GM) and glucan, which have been recognized as useful
tools for the diagnosis of fungal infections. Further investigation into
polysaccharide antibody cross-reactivity is important in improving diagnostic
tests. Our aim was to verify the production of antibodies against fungal
antigens in mice immunized with exopolysaccharides (EPS) obtained from three
fungal species (Aspergillus terreus, Paecilomyces variotii and Curvularia brachyspora). ELISA assays
were performed to evaluate homologous and heterologous reactions and showed
anti-polysaccharide antibodies production. EPS from A. terreus was immunogenic enough to immunize the animal and lead
to antibody production against this EPS. In addition, no cross-reactivity was
observed with EPS obtained from P.
variotii and C. brachyspora. The
EPS from P. variotii did not exhibit
good immunogenicity, whereas EPS from C.
brachyspora showed good immunogenicity, and heterologous reactions were detected on the ELISA assays performed using the EPS from this species. The results
indicate that immunization can occur for environmental fungal polysaccharides,
generating antibodies may be interfere in serological diagnosis that are based
on detection of fungal polysaccharides, mainly glucans and galactomannans.