title: Antigen characterization of major cork moulds in Suberosis (cork worker's pneumonitis) by immunoblotting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We characterized by immunoblotting the antigenicity of the most frequent fungi colonizing cork during its industrial processing, Penicillium glabrum and Chrysonilia sitophila. Penicillium glabrum is the main causative agent of Suberosis, a hypersensitivity pneumonitis of cork workers. Chrysonilia sitophila induces both IgE sensitization and occupational asthma in the wood processing industry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum-specific IgG, IgG4 and IgE to P. glabrum and C. sitophila from nine cork workers with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and seven with asthma (four with occupational asthma) were analysed by immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both HP and asthmatic patients' sera showed immunoreactivity to several proteins resolved in the specific immunoblot strips. The frequency of specific IgG recognition to 12-13.5 and 33 kDa proteins of P. glabrum was significantly higher in HP patients. The sera of HP patients had significantly higher specific IgG recognition to 16 and 51-55 kDa proteins of C. sitophila. There was no specific IgE recognition in the sera of HP or asthmatic patients to both fungi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different patterns of antibody reactivity to P. glabrum and C. sitophila are seen in cork workers with hypersensitivity pneumonitis or asthma. The 12-13.5 and 33 kDa proteins of P. glabrum and the 16 and 51-55 kDa proteins of C. sitophila may be major antigens in Suberosis.
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Winck
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marques
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004391:Dust; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009491:Neurospora / Q000276:immunology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010407:Penicillium / Q000276:immunology; D014197:Trees / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D004391:Dust; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E