title: Carbohydrate-rich high-molecular-mass antigens are strongly recognized during experimental Histoplasma capsulatum infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During histoplasmosis, Histoplasma capsulatum soluble antigens (CFAg) can be naturally released by yeast cells. Because CFAg can be specifically targeted during infection, in the present study we investigated CFAg release in experimental murine histoplasmosis, and evaluated the host humoral immune response against high-molecular-mass antigens (hMMAg. >150 kDa), the more immunogenic CFAg fraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were infected with 2.2 x 10⁴ H. capsulatum IMT/HC128 yeast cells. The soluble CFAg, IgG anti-CFAg, IgG anti-hMMAg, and IgG-hMMAg circulating immune complexes (CIC) levels were determined by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, at days 0, 7, 14, and 28 post-infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a progressive increase in circulating levels of CFAg, IgG anti-CFAg, IgG anti-hMMAg, and IgG-hMMAg CIC after H. capsulatum infection. The hMMAg showed a high percentage of carbohydrates and at least two main immunogenic components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We verified for the first time that hMMAg from H. capsulatum IMT/HC128 strain induce humoral immune response and lead to CIC formation during experimental histoplasmosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR.
authors.forename: Fabrine Sales Massafera
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tristão
authors.forename: Paula César
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leonello
authors.forename: Luciene Airy
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Mário Augusto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Eiko Nakagawa
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Itano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006658:Histoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D002241:Carbohydrates