title: Increased amounts of the Aspergillus metabolite D-mannitol in tissue and serum of rats with experimental aspergillosis.
abstract: Several Aspergillus species produce large amounts of the hexitol D-mannitol in vitro, but it is not known whether these species also produce D-mannitol in vivo. Serum samples and homogenized tissues were analyzed from rats pretreated with cortisone and cyclophosphamide and then given 2 x 10(6) preincubated conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus intravenously. The resulting infection was lethal by 48 h and was characterized by much more severe disease in the liver than in the kidneys, spleen, or lungs. A compound present in increased amounts in the livers and sera of the infected rats was shown to be D-mannitol by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry and enzymatically. Quantitative analysis by GC showed that the infected rats had more D-mannitol in their livers (but not in their lungs or kidneys) after 12 h (P less than .01 at 12, 24, and 36 h) and higher serum D-mannitol concentrations and serum D-mannitol/creatinine ratios after 36 h (P less than .05) than did uninfected controls. These results indicate that A. fumigatus can produce and release sufficient D-mannitol in the tissues of infected animals to raise serum D-mannitol levels. Thus, D-mannitol is a potential diagnostic marker for aspergillosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0560.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Brauer
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jayasimhulu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D008353:Mannitol; D003404:Creatinine