title: Immunoreactivity of synthetic peptides derived from proteins of Cryptococcus gattii.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the immunoreactivity of synthetic Cryptococcus-derived peptides.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 63 B-cell epitopes from previously identified Cryptococcus gattii immunoreactive proteins were synthesized and evaluated as antigens in ELISAs. The peptides were first evaluated for their ability to react against sera from immunocompetent subjects carrying cryptococcal meningitis. Peptides that yielded high sensitivity and specificity in the first test were then retested with sera from individuals with other fungal pathologies for cross-reactivity determination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of 63 synthetic peptides were recognized by antibodies in immunoassays, with a specificity of 100%, sensitivity of 78% and low cross-reactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We successfully determined the immunoreactivity of selected synthetic peptides of C. gattii derived proteins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunogenética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella Bloco, Piauí, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rafael Melo Santos
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Serpa Brandão
authors.forename: Liline Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Soares Martins
authors.forename: Hélida Monteiro
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Angélica Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soares Leal
authors.forename: Adalberto Socorro
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wanke
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: dos Santos Lazéra
authors.forename: Marilene Henning
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vainstein
authors.forename: Rinaldo Poncio
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Daniela Vanessa
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Moris
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Souza Cavalcante
authors.forename: Semiramis Jamil Hadad
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: do Monte
mesh_terms: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D056285:Cryptococcus gattii / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D010455:Peptides
keywords: ELISA; antigens; cryptococcosis; diagnosis; synthetic peptides