An anti-Cryptococcus neoformans monoclonal antibody directed against galactoxylomannan.

Six monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were produced by immunizing mice with a Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A spheroplast lysate (CNSL). Two mAb were of the IgG1 isotype; the others were IgM. The results obtained with one IgM mAb (CN6) are reported herein. This mAb recognized the four serotypes of C. neoformans and no cross-reactions were observed with extracts from Cryptococcus melibiosum, Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulopsis glabrata or Trichosporon beigelii. Fractionation of the CNSL by gel filtration revealed that mAb CN6 recognized high molecular weight substances as well as a range of smaller molecules. Indirect ELISA inhibition studies showed that this mAb recognized substances in a cryptococcal culture filtrate. Inhibition studies and agglutination tests using latex beads sensitized with purified CN6 showed that CN6 strongly reacted with the C. neoformans serotype A cell envelope galactoxylomannan-mannoprotein complex (GAlXM-MP) and only weakly with the glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) component. These tests also showed that purified galactoxylomannan (GalXM) from C. neoformans serotype A was more reactive than purified mannoprotein (MP). An anti-GalXM mAb might be a useful tool for monitoring the clinical course of cryptococcal infections.