Biomaterial Database

Detection of antibodies to phospholipase B in patients infected with Cryptococcus neoformans by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 2005

R T Santangelo, and S C Chen, and T C Sorrell, and L C Wright

Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

Secreted phospholipases are virulence factors of several fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans. We describe for the first time the detection by ELISA of antibodies to cryptococcal phospholipase B in the serum of patients infected with C. neoformans or C. gattii. Sixty-nine sera from 25 patients with cryptococcosis, 23 patients with Candida infections and 26 with bacterial or viral infections were tested. The sensitivity of the ELISA in patients with cryptococcosis was 100% in immunocompetent hosts and 64.3% in immunosuppressed patients with cryptococcal meningitis. Absorbance readings were significantly higher in immunocompetent patients (P<0.001). Titres remained positive for up to 2 years. Positive results were noted in 10 episodes of invasive candidiasis, three patients colonised with Candida, and three cases of bacterial infection. Mean absorbance readings were significantly lower in patients with bacterial infection (P <0.001). We conclude that phospholipase B is produced in vivo during cryptococcal infection and that serum phospholipase B antibodies are a sensitive marker of present or past infection. Cross-reactivity of the ELISA with sera from patients with candidiasis indicates that common epitopes are present on cryptococcal and candidal phospholipase B, hence fungal phospholipase B may constitute a new therapeutic target.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008245	Lysophospholipase	An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a single fatty acid ester bond in lysoglycerophosphatidates with the formation of glyceryl phosphatidates and a fatty acid. EC 3.1.1.5.	Lecithinase B,Lysolecithinase,Phospholipase B,Lysolecithin-Lysolecithin Acyltransferase,Lysophospholipase A,Lysophospholipase A1,Lysophospholipase C,Lysophospholipase L2,Acyltransferase, Lysolecithin-Lysolecithin,L2, Lysophospholipase,Lysolecithin Lysolecithin Acyltransferase
D003453	Cryptococcosis	Fungal infection caused by genus CRYPTOCOCCUS.	C gattii Infection,C neoformans Infection,C. gattii Infection,C. neoformans Infection,Cryptococcus Infection,Cryptococcus Infections,Cryptococcus gattii Infection,Torulosis,Cryptococcus neoformans Infection,C gattii Infections,C neoformans Infections,C. gattii Infections,C. neoformans Infections,Cryptococcoses,Cryptococcus gattii Infections,Cryptococcus neoformans Infections,Infection, C gattii,Infection, C neoformans,Infection, C. gattii,Infection, C. neoformans,Infection, Cryptococcus,Infection, Cryptococcus gattii,Infection, Cryptococcus neoformans,Infections, C gattii,Infections, C. neoformans,Toruloses
D003454	Cryptococcus	A mitosporic Tremellales fungal genus whose species usually have a capsule and do not form pseudomycellium. Teleomorphs include Filobasidiella and Fidobasidium.	Torula
D003455	Cryptococcus neoformans	A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans.	Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D004797	Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay	An immunoassay utilizing an antibody labeled with an enzyme marker such as horseradish peroxidase. While either the enzyme or the antibody is bound to an immunosorbent substrate, they both retain their biologic activity; the change in enzyme activity as a result of the enzyme-antibody-antigen reaction is proportional to the concentration of the antigen and can be measured spectrophotometrically or with the naked eye. Many variations of the method have been developed.	ELISA,Assay, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays,Immunosorbent Assay, Enzyme-Linked,Immunosorbent Assays, Enzyme-Linked
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000908	Antibodies, Fungal	Immunoglobulins produced in a response to FUNGAL ANTIGENS.	Fungal Antibodies
D000946	Antigens, Fungal	Substances of fungal origin that have antigenic activity.	Fungal Antigen,Fungal Antigens,Antigen, Fungal
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D015203	Reproducibility of Results	The statistical reproducibility of measurements (often in a clinical context), including the testing of instrumentation or techniques to obtain reproducible results. The concept includes reproducibility of physiological measurements, which may be used to develop rules to assess probability or prognosis, or response to a stimulus; reproducibility of occurrence of a condition; and reproducibility of experimental results.	Reliability and Validity,Reliability of Result,Reproducibility Of Result,Reproducibility of Finding,Validity of Result,Validity of Results,Face Validity,Reliability (Epidemiology),Reliability of Results,Reproducibility of Findings,Test-Retest Reliability,Validity (Epidemiology),Finding Reproducibilities,Finding Reproducibility,Of Result, Reproducibility,Of Results, Reproducibility,Reliabilities, Test-Retest,Reliability, Test-Retest,Result Reliabilities,Result Reliability,Result Validities,Result Validity,Result, Reproducibility Of,Results, Reproducibility Of,Test Retest Reliability,Validity and Reliability,Validity, Face