Antigens of Fusarium solani: types and criteria for immunochemical characterization

Background: there are no established methods for the preparation and standardization of Fusarium solani antigens. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to use these antigens in allergenic diagnostic tests. Objective: to obtain an appropriate standardized method for the preparation of the different antigen types of F. solani. Methods: production of fungal extracts, followed by biochemical and immunological characterization. Results: the somatic antigens presented the greatest protein content most of these proteins are common to the metabolic and hydrosoluble antigens, particularly those proteins at 35-39 kDa, 29-32 kDa and 15-16 kDa, as detected by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The hydro- soluble antigens presented the highest protein diversity; these proteins were the most specific, showing minor determinants in common with the other antigens. Conclusions: it is recommended that a mixture of the different antigen sources be used in order to obtain extracts which would cover the maximum number of diagnostic possibilities (AU)

No existen métodos estandarizados para la preparación de antígenos de Fusarium solani. La falta de estandarización hace más difícil el uso de éstos antígenos en las pruebas de diagnóstico.Objetivo: obtener un método estandarizado apropiado para la preparación de diferentes tipos de antígenos de F. solani. Resultados: los antígenos somáticos presentan el mayor contenido proteico, muchas de estas proteínas también se encuentran en los antígenos hidrosolubles y metabólicos, particularmente las proteínas de 35-39 kDa, 29-32 kDa y 15-16 kDa, detectadas por electroforesis e immunobloting. Los antígenos hidrosolubles presentan la mayor diversidad proteica incluyendo más específicas que muestran menos determinantes comunes con los otros tipos de antígenos.Conclusiones: debido a su heterogeneidad es recomendable emplear una mezcla de diferentes tipos de antígenos para incrementar las posibilidades diagnósticas. (AU)

Antigens of Fusarium solani: types and criteria for immunochemical characterization.

BACKGROUND: There are no established methods for the preparation and standardization of Fusarium solani antigens. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to use these antigens in allergenic diagnostic tests. OBJECTIVE: To obtain an appropriate standardized method for the preparation of the different antigen types of F. solani. METHODS: Production of fungal extracts, followed by biochemical and immunological characterization. RESULTS: The somatic antigens presented the greatest protein content most of these proteins are common to the metabolic and hydrosoluble antigens, particularly those proteins at 35-39 kDa, 29-32 kDa and 15-16 kDa, as detected by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The hydrosoluble antigens presented the highest protein diversity; these proteins were the most specific, showing minor determinants in common with the other antigens. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that a mixture of the different antigen sources be used in order to obtain extracts which would cover the maximum number of diagnostic possibilities.

Allergy to pistachio: crossreactivity between pistachio nut and other Anacardiaceae.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis against Anacardiaceae nuts is uncommon and the allergens involved still poorly characterized. For this reason two patients with allergy towards pistachio nut (a member of the Anacardiaceae family) have been studied. OBJECTIVE: Identification of immunoallergens present in pistachio nut and analysis of crossreactive antigens in other members of the same plant family, specifically cashew and mango. METHODS: Presence of specific IgE for pistachio and cashew nut and for mango seed and pulp was determined by skin tests and radioallergosorbent assay (RAST). The allergenic profile of pistachio and cashew was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by immunoblotting. Crossreactivity between pistachio and the other Anacardiaceae was studied by RAST inhibition. RESULTS: Skin tests were positive for pistachio and cashew in the two children and for mango seed in one. RAST was positive for pistachio and cashew in both patients. On immunoblotting, serum from both patients recognized several pistachio and cashew allergens with a molecular weight ranging from < 14.2-70 kDa. RAST inhibition demonstrated common antigenic determinants between pistachio and cashew nut. Crossreactivity was also found between pistachio nut and mango seed but not with mango pulp. CONCLUSION: Pistachio nut contains several protein allergens able to trigger type I hypersensitivity reactions. These allergens can be found also in cashew nut and mango seed but not in mango pulp.

Study of the possible crossed reactivity between D. pteronyssinus and non pyroglyphide acarus. 1. Skin tests and FAST inhibition.

On 132 patients with case history of rhinitis and/or asthma in a domestic environment and with positive cutaneous tests contrasted with D. pteronyssinus, we have made cutaneous tests compared to said antigen and compared with D. farinae, L. destructor and A. siro, with extracts 5000 E/ml (Noon Units), as well as FAST inhibition, using D. pteronyssinus in its solid phase and all the above mentioned extracts in their liquid phase. Our results show that the frequency of D. pteronyssinus positivities in prick is greater than the other mites as well as the intensity of the response expressed in the size of the wheal showing significant differences between those found for D. pteronyssinus and those obtained with other mites. In turn those obtained with the D. farinae are significantly greater than those obtained with non-pyroglyphide mites. In FAST inhibition we only found a good correlation for D. pteronyssinus-D. pteronyssinus and D. pteronyssinus-D. farinae and there is no good correlation between the other mites. The correlation coefficients differ significantly except for those of the pyroglyphides, and the regression equations show a lack of parallelism in the regression lines. Consequently, on the basis of this study, we conclude that there is no crossed reactivity between D. peteronyssinus and non-pyroglyphide mites.