The immunochemical characterisation of circulating immune complex constituents in Candida albicans osteomyelitis by isoelectric focusing, immunoblot, and immunoprint.

Circulating immune complexes present in the serum of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, end-stage renal failure, and thoracic vertebral Candida albicans osteomyelitis were sequentially analysed by isoelectric focusing, immunoblotting, and immunoprinting. Candida antigens (including mannoproteins), Clq and C3 complement components, and specific anti-Candida antibody were detected within polyethylene glycol precipitated complexes. An antigen of 47K molecular weight was amongst those demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be present within the complexes. It has been proposed elsewhere that a serologic response to a 47K protein is predictive of recovery from Candida albicans infection. Free antibody had specificity for Candida antigens ranging in molecular weight from 18K to more than 100K including a 47K component. The analytical techniques employed allowed rapid and precise identification of the components of one particular immune complex system and will be widely applicable to the dissection of other diverse systems.