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

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2002, p. 4382-4387, Vol. 40, No. 11
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.11.4382-4387.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detection of Cell Wall Galactomannoprotein Afmp1p in Culture Supernatants of Aspergillus fumigatus and in Sera of Aspergillosis Patients

Patrick C. Y. Woo,1 Che-Man Chan,1 Andy S. P. Leung,1 Susanna K. P. Lau,1 Xiao-Yan Che,1 Samson S. Y. Wong,1 Liang Cao,1 and Kwok-Yung Yuen1,2*

Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital,1 HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, Hong Kong2

Received 23 April 2002/ Returned for modification 13 August 2002/ Accepted 22 August 2002

Mannoproteins are important and abundant structural components of fungal cell walls. The AFMP1 gene encodes a cell wall galactomannoprotein of Aspergillus fumigatus. In the present study, we show that Afmp1p is secreted into the cell culture supernatant at a level that can be detected by Western blotting. A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed with antibodies against Afmp1p was capable of detecting this protein from the cell culture supernatant of A. fumigatus. The anti-Afmp1p antibody is specific since it fails to react with any protein from lysates of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium marneffei, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Histoplasma capsulatum by Western blotting. In addition, this Afmp1p antigen-based ELISA is also specific for A. fumigatus since the cell culture supernatants of the other eight fungi gave negative results. Finally, a clinical evaluation of sera from invasive aspergillosis patients indicates that 8 of 15 (53%) patients are Afmp1p antigen test positive. Furthermore, an Afmp1p antibody test was performed with these serum specimens. The combined antibody and antigen tests for invasive aspergillosis carry a sensitivity of 86.7% (13 of 15). The specificities of the tests are high since none of the 138 control sera, including 100 from normal blood donors, 20 from patients with penicilliosis marneffei, 6 from patients with candidemia, 8 from patients with typhoid fever, and 4 from patients with melioidosis, was positive by either test. In conclusion, the combined Afmp1p antibody and antigen tests are highly sensitive and specific for A. fumigatus invasive aspergillosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Phone: (852) 28554892. Fax: (852) 28551241. E-mail: hkumicro{at}hkucc.hku.hk.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2002, p. 4382-4387, Vol. 40, No. 11
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.11.4382-4387.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Thornton, C. R. (2008). Development of an Immunochromatographic Lateral-Flow Device for Rapid Serodiagnosis of Invasive Aspergillosis. CVI 15: 1095-1105 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hao, W., Pan, Y.-X., Ding, Y.-Q., Xiao, S., Yin, K., Wang, Y.-D., Qiu, L.-W., Zhang, Q.-L., Woo, P. C. Y., Lau, S. K. P., Yuen, K.-Y., Che, X.-Y. (2008). Well-Characterized Monoclonal Antibodies against Cell Wall Antigen of Aspergillus Species Improve Immunoassay Specificity and Sensitivity. CVI 15: 194-202 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chong, K. T. K., Woo, P. C. Y., Lau, S. K. P., Huang, Y., Yuen, K.-y. (2004). AFMP2 Encodes a Novel Immunogenic Protein of the Antigenic Mannoprotein Superfamily in Aspergillus fumigatus. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 2287-2291 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chu, C.-m., Woo, P. C. Y., Chong, K. T. K., Leung, W.-s., Chan, V. L., Yuen, K.-y. (2004). Association of Presence of Aspergillus Antibodies with Hemoptysis in Patients with Old Tuberculosis or Bronchiectasis but No Radiologically Visible Mycetoma. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 665-669 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Woo, P. C. Y., Chong, K. T. K., Leung, A. S. P., Wong, S. S. Y., Lau, S. K. P., Yuen, K.-Y. (2003). AFLMP1 Encodes an Antigenic Cell Wall Protein in Aspergillus flavus. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 845-850 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»