Mycobacterium avium complex disease in patients with AIDS: seroreactivity to native and recombinant mycobacterial antigens.
Antibodies to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) antigens were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoblot analyses in sera from 20 patients with AIDS and disseminated MAC disease, 5 human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative patients with pulmonary MAC infections, and 20 healthy controls. Whereas enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers for healthy controls and patients with AIDS and MAC disease were comparable, human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative patients with MAC disease had higher anti-MAC antibody titers (P less than 0.01). Immunoblot analysis with the same sonic extracts indicated that each of the three groups had a limited heterogeneous response to M. avium antigens. No significant differences in immunoblot reactivities were detected. However, immunoblot studies with recombinant nontuberculous mycobacterial antigens revealed that sera from over 90% of the patients with MAC disease and only 25% of controls recognized a recombinant protein derived from a 35-kDa mycobacterial antigen. Although sonic extracts did not permit adequate discrimination of antibody reactivity in patients with MAC disease, recombinant antigens may be useful as indicators of disease.
Morris
S L
SL
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Bermudez
L
L
Chaparas
S D
SD
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins