title: Effects of infection and disease with Mycobacterium tuberculosis on serum antibody to glucan and arabinomannan: two surface polysaccharides of this pathogen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of the surface capsular polysaccharides (CPs) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in the pathogenesis of infection and disease, as well their potential for use as diagnostic reagents and vaccine antigens, are unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum antibody to two CPs of Mtb, arabinomannan (AM) and glucan (Glu), were studied in samples from 52 18-74 year-old HIV-seronegative, immunocompetent individuals in Houston Texas. The effects of Mtb exposure, infection and disease upon the levels of antibodies to these CPs were assessed. Subjects were grouped according to the standard international classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IgA anti-Glu levels were significantly higher in the active and treated TB compared to a group that was PPD-negative without TB exposure history (p<0.05). Antibodies against AM demonstrated a similar pattern, with the exception that IgG anti-AM was higher in groups who had active TB or previously documented active TB, and IgA anti-AM was higher in subjects with previously documented active TB compared to the level in an unexposed, PPD-negative group (p<0.05). Serum IgG anti-Glu levels were higher in subjects with active TB or previously documented active TB than in the unexposed PPD-negative group, but the differences were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the evaluation of antibody responses to the CP of Mtb may have utility for TB serodiagnosis, and that vaccines designed to induce humoral responses to TB CPs should be tested for their capacity to evoke anti-tuberculosis protective immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. wkeitel@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Keitel
authors.forename: ZhongDong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Awe
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Atmar
authors.forename: Sheldon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneerson
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005936:Glucans / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D005936:Glucans; D008351:Mannans; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C012189:arabinomannan