Open AccessCryptococcal phospholipase B antigen is not detected in serum of patients infected with Cryptococcus neoformans using a sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay
Author(s) -
Wu Qi Xuan,
Chen Sharon C. A.,
Santangelo Rosemary T.,
Martin Patricia,
Malik Richard,
Sorrell Tania C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fems yeast research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1567-1364
pISSN - 1567-1356
DOI - 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2006.00187.x
Subject(s) - cryptococcus neoformans , cryptococcosis , cryptococcus gattii , biology , antigen , cryptococcus , microbiology and biotechnology , extracellular , virulence , virology , enzyme , immunology , biochemistry , gene
Extracellular phospholipase B (PLB) is a virulence determinant of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii . In this study, we developed a sensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for PLB antigen with a detection limit of 3.9 ng mL −1 . PLB was detected in culture supernatants of C. neoformans and C. gattii . PLB, however, was not detected in sera of seven human patients and 10 feline patients with active cryptococcosis. Furthermore, none of five rats with extensive pulmonary C. gattii infection had a positive ELISA test result. In conclusion, cryptococcal PLB could not be detected in serum using a PLB antigen‐based ELISA. Despite its sensitivity, this ELISA is of limited diagnostic value. Exploration of further extracellular molecules suitable for serodiagnosis of active cryptococcal infection is warranted.