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Studies on shared antigenic/allergenic components among fungi
Author(s) -
Verma J.,
Sridhara S.,
Singh B. P.,
Gangal S. V.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1995.tb05054.x
Subject(s) - antigen , cross reactions , allergen , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , allergy
Fungal allergens have been found to be one of the most prevalent aeroallergens in India. Knowledge of shared/unique components among different fungi is necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment of patients allergic to fungi. In the present study, crude extracts (CE) of 11 common fungi ( Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Asp. fumigatus, Asp. niger, Asp. tamarii, Asp. versicolor, Cladosporium herbarum, Curvularia lunata, Mucor hiemalis, Penicillium citrinum , and Fusarium solani ) were characterized by isoelectric focusing (IEF), SDS‐PAGE, and immunoblot. On IEF (pI 3–9), the number of protein bands was found to be greatest (46) in M. hiemalis extract. SDS‐PAGE exhibited a varied number of bands, generally 18–40, with mol. mass ranging from 14 to 100 kDa. IgG‐specific immunoprint using rabbit anti‐ F. solani CF antibodies demonstrated a mol. mass distribution of shared antigenic proteins of 14–100 kDa in most of the fungi. Shared allergenicity was observed in a number of allergenic proteins in fungal extracts with mol. mass ranging between 14 and 70 kDa on IgE‐specific immunoblot using pooled sera of patients allergic to Fusarium. A 45‐kDa protein was found to be common among these fungi on immunoblot with patients as well as with rabbit antibodies. F. solani CF extract contained more antigenic/allergenic proteins than F. solani CE. It was concluded that F. solani CF shared several antigenic/allergenic components with CE of other common fungi. This fact needs to be taken into account when fungal extracts are used in diagnosis and immunotherapy of allergic patients.