Viudes Angel, Lazzell Anna, Perea Sofia, Kirkpatrick William R, Peman Javier, Patterson Thomas F, Martinez Jose P, López-Ribot José L
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, South Texas Centers for Biology in Medicine, Texas Research Park, 15355 Lambda Dr., San Antonio, TX 78245, USA.
FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2004 Mar 19;232(2):133-8. doi: 10.1016/S0378-1097(04)00042-4.
The 58-kDa surface mannoprotein of Candida albicans (mp58) elicits strong antibody responses during infection. Epitope mapping with sera from patients with candidiasis and control individuals indicated the presence of multiple IgG-reactive continuous epitopes on the protein, expanding both the amino- and carboxy-terminal domains and several internal regions. These immunoreactive regions were similar to the ones previously identified using sera from immunized animals. Two of the epitopic regions (including the C-terminal domain) showed increased reactivity with antibodies present in sera from patients with candidiasis as compared to control individuals. Patients who survived the infection displayed increased antibody reactivity towards the C-terminal epitope as compared to those succumbing to candidiasis. A monoclonal antibody directed towards this epitopic region conferred protection in serum therapy experiments in a murine model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Together, these observations indicate the carboxy-terminal antibody binding domain of C. albicans mp58 represents a protective epitope during candidiasis.
