Cross-reaction between the mycelial galactomannas of three Hormodendrum strains and the mannans of two Candida albicans strains of different serotypes, A and B.

Cross-reactivity between galactomannans of three representative Hormodendrum strains, H. pedrosoi IFO 6071, H. compactum IFO 6726, and H. dermatitidis IFO 6421, and the mannans of two Candida strains, C. albicans NIH A-207 (serotype A) and C. albicans NIH B-792 (serotype B), were investigated by means of agar-gel double diffusion, quantitative preciptin reaction, and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. The following results were obtained. (i) Antisera to whole cells of three Hormodendrum strains were completely inactive in all in vitro antigen-antibody reactions to mannans of C. albicans NIH A-207 and C. albicans NIH B-792, whereas antisera to both C. albicans strains were found to be cross-reactive against the three Hormodendrum galactomannans. (ii) The results of cross-passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests using guinea pigs sensitized with antiserum of three Hormodendrum and two Candida seemed to be consistent with those of the vitro assay. (iii) The reactivities of the corresponding acid-resistant core moieties of the three Hormodendrum galactomannas against two anti-C. albicans sera were nearly identical to those of the parent galactomannans in both in vitro and in vivo tests.