This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chen, L. C. Articles by Casadevall, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chen, L. C. Articles by Casadevall, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect. Immun., 07 1997, 2599-2605, Vol 65, No. 7
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Extracellular proteins of Cryptococcus neoformans and host antibody response

LC Chen, LA Pirofski and A Casadevall
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.

Proteins secreted by the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans may be involved in invasion and could be useful in vaccine design. Despite the medical importance of this fungus, little is known about its extracellular proteins or the immune response to these antigens. To study C. neoformans extracellular proteins, 12 strains were metabolically radiolabeled and protein supernatants were analyzed. Both strain- and growth condition-dependent differences were observed. Enzymatic assays of filtered culture supernatants revealed butyrate esterase and caprylate esterase lipase activity for 11 of 12 strains, as well as acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, and beta- glucosidase activities in some strains. Serum from infected rodents immunoprecipitated several secreted proteins, consistent with in vivo expression and development of an antibody response. For strain 24067, two immunodominant species, of approximately 75 and 30 kDa, were recognized. The relative intensity of the autoradiographic bands depended on the route of infection for both rats and mice. In summary, our results indicate that (i) there are multiple proteins in C. neoformans culture supernatants, (ii) there are strain differences in supernatant protein profiles, (iii) there are differences in supernatant protein profile depending on the growth conditions, (iv) there are several new extracellular and/or cell-associated enzymatic activities, and (v) antibodies to several supernatant proteins are made in the course of infection.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Datta, K., Lees, A., Pirofski, L.-a. (2008). Therapeutic Efficacy of a Conjugate Vaccine Containing a Peptide Mimotope of Cryptococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Glucuronoxylomannan. CVI 15: 1176-1187 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Biondo, C., Messina, L., Bombaci, M., Mancuso, G., Midiri, A., Beninati, C., Cusumano, V., Gerace, E., Papasergi, S., Teti, G. (2005). Characterization of Two Novel Cryptococcal Mannoproteins Recognized by Immune Sera. Infect. Immun. 73: 7348-7355 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yoo, J. i., Lee, Y. S., Song, C.-Y., Kim, B. S. (2004). Purification and Characterization of a 43-Kilodalton Extracellular Serine Proteinase from Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 722-726 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Nosanchuk, J. D., Casadevall, A. (2003). Budding of melanized Cryptococcus neoformans in the presence or absence of L-dopa. Microbiology 149: 1945-1951 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Biondo, C., Beninati, C., Delfino, D., Oggioni, M., Mancuso, G., Midiri, A., Bombaci, M., Tomaselli, G., Teti, G. (2002). Identification and Cloning of a Cryptococcal Deacetylase That Produces Protective Immune Responses. Infect. Immun. 70: 2383-2391 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Neuville, S., Lortholary, O., Dromer, F. (2000). Do Kinetics of the Humoral Response to Cryptococcus neoformans Proteins during Murine Cryptococcosis Reflect Outcome?. Infect. Immun. 68: 3724-3726 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Merkel, G. J., Scofield, B. A. (1999). An Opsonizing Monoclonal Antibody That Recognizes a Noncapsular Epitope Expressed on Cryptococcus neoformans. Infect. Immun. 67: 4994-5000 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chen, L.-C., Casadevall, A. (1999). Variants of a Cryptococcus neoformans Strain Elicit Different Inflammatory Responses in Mice. CVI 6: 266-268 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Franzot, S. P., Mukherjee, J., Cherniak, R., Chen, L.-C., Hamdan, J. S., Casadevall, A. (1998). Microevolution of a Standard Strain of Cryptococcus neoformans Resulting in Differences in Virulence and Other Phenotypes. Infect. Immun. 66: 89-97 [Abstract] [Full Text]