title: Quantitative and qualitative differences in the serum antibody profiles of human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons with and without Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis.
abstract: The importance of humoral immunity for resistance to Cryptococcus neoformans is uncertain. A case-controlled study of the human antibody response to C. neoformans comparing the serum antibody profiles of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons who did (HIV+/CM+) or did not (HIV-infected controls) develop cryptococcal meningitis (CM) and HIV-uninfected persons with samples obtained from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study was performed. Total immunoglobulin concentrations were determined, and the specificity, isotype, and idiotype expression of antibodies to C. neoformans capsular glucuronoxylomannan were analyzed by ELISA. Compared with the HIV+/CM+ group, the HIV-infected control group had significantly lower levels of total IgM, IgA, and antibodies expressing a certain VH3 determinant. The HIV-infected control group manifested an increase in immunoglobulin levels with a decrease in CD4 lymphocytes. The findings suggest a possible association between reduced expression of certain immunoglobulin subsets and HIV-associated CM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fleuridor
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lyles
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pirofski
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000276:immunology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D011134:Polysaccharides; C027478:glucuronoxylomannan