Open AccessMycoplasma penetrans infections and seroconversion in patients with AIDS: identification of major mycoplasmal antigens targeted by host antibody response
Author(s) -
Lo ShyhChing,
Wang Richard YH.,
Grandinetti Teresa,
Zou Nianxiang,
Hayes Michael M.,
Shih Jim WK.,
Wear Douglas J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsim.2004.12.010
Subject(s) - biology , seroconversion , antigen , serology , antibody , mycoplasma , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , immunology , mycoplasmataceae , mollicutes
We examined Mycoplasma penetrans ‐specific antibodies in sera of five male homosexual AIDS patients from whom M. penetrans was isolated during the disease process. No consistent immune reaction pattern could be recognized in Western blot using whole cell proteins. Serum samples obtained prior to M. penetrans isolation reacted with a number of M. penetrans proteins, most likely due to non‐specific cross‐reactions. Further analysis revealed that patients produced prominent antibody reaction to lipid‐associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) of M. penetrans at the time of mycoplasma isolation, which could not be observed for serum samples obtained prior to M. penetrans isolation. The positive antibody reaction was mainly directed against two major LAMPs of M. penetrans with molecular mass of 35 and 38 kDa and produced a distinctive pattern of positive immunoreaction bands. Our observation suggested that, comparing with whole mycoplasmal proteins, LAMPs were more specific target antigens in serological assays for M. penetrans infection.