title: Biochemical and immunochemical analyses of detergent solubilized antigens from membrane vesicles of Aspergillus fumigatus.
abstract: A membrane vesicle fraction isolated from exponentially growing Aspergillus fumigatus strain Ag 507 cultures was obtained by mechanical disruption of intact Aspergillus cells under specific osmotic conditions followed by a pH fractionation technique. Electron micrographs of the membrane vesicles indicated unit membrane structures free from cell wall material. High glucose-6-phosphatase and low lactate dehydrogenase activities verified the relative purity of the membrane vesicle fraction. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patient and normal human sera were incubated with the membrane vesicle fraction followed by colloidal gold tagged rabbit antiserum to human IgG or IgE. Electron micrographs indicated ABPA patient sera possessed specific IgG and IgE antibodies to membranous components. The detergent octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside was used to extract membrane vesicle components (MC). The enzyme profile of MC compared with cell sap components (CS) showed differences in types of enzymes. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analyses of MC and CS detected components shared as well as unique to each fraction. In crossed immunoelectrophoresis using both rabbit antisera raised to MC and ABPA patient sera, 5 peaks were detected, while analysis of CS using rabbit antisera raised to CS produced 20 major peaks. Immunoelectrophoresis and double immunodiffusion data supported the crossed immunoelectrophoretic data: MC differed from CS. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay indicated high specific IgG and IgE antibody levels to MC in ABPA patient sera. Crossed immuno-affinoelectrophoresis with concanavalin A partially characterized the MC, which consist of components which have glycoprotein elements (i.e., containing alpha-D-glucose or alpha-D-mannose).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piechura
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Riefel
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Daft
mesh_terms: D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000032:analysis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D006867:Hydrolases