Orsborn K I, Galgiani J N
Research and Medical Services, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Clin Infect Dis. 1998 Dec;27(6):1475-8. doi: 10.1086/515041.
In previous work, antibodies in serum samples from patients with coccidioidomycosis were found to react with a proline-rich antigen (PRA) isolated from spherules of Coccidioides immitis, and the gene encoding this antigen was cloned. We expressed and purified recombinant PRA (rPRA) by removing the majority of amino acids contributed by the vector from the fusion protein. Purified rPRA reacted with serum IgG antibodies in 37 of 42 patients with culture-proven progressive pulmonary or extrapulmonary coccidioidal disease; specific antibodies in dilutions ranging from 1:40 to 1:102,400 were demonstrated (sensitivity, 88%). In contrast, for > 95% of patients without coccidioidomycosis reactivity of < 1:40 was demonstrated (specificity, 97%). Of 18 patients with primary self-limited coccidioidomycosis, none had detectable antibodies in serum samples collected up to 141 days after illness began. The association of antibodies to rPRA with progressive infection may have prognostic value.
在先前的研究中，发现球孢子菌病患者血清样本中的抗体与从粗球孢子菌小球体中分离出的富含脯氨酸的抗原（PRA）发生反应，并克隆了编码该抗原的基因。我们通过从融合蛋白中去除载体贡献的大部分氨基酸来表达和纯化重组PRA（rPRA）。纯化的rPRA与42例经培养证实患有进行性肺或肺外球孢子菌病的患者中的37例血清IgG抗体发生反应；检测到稀释度范围为1:40至1:102,400的特异性抗体（敏感性为88%）。相比之下，超过95%无球孢子菌病的患者显示反应性<1:40（特异性为97%）。在18例原发性自限性球孢子菌病患者中，在疾病开始后长达141天采集的血清样本中均未检测到抗体。抗rPRA抗体与进行性感染的关联可能具有预后价值。
