Investigation of anti-WI-1 adhesin antibody-mediated protection in experimental pulmonary blastomycosis

J Infect Dis. 2000 May;181(5):1720-8. doi: 10.1086/315473. Epub 2000 May 15.

Abstract

Infection with Blastomyces dermatitidis elicits strong antibody responses to the surface adhesin WI-1. The antibodies are directed chiefly against the adhesive domain, a 25-amino-acid repeat. Tandem-repeat-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were studied for their opsonic activity in vitro and their capacity to adoptively transfer protection in murine experimental blastomycosis. mAbs to WI-1 enhanced binding and entry of B. dermatitidis yeasts into J774. 16 cells but did not enhance killing or growth inhibition of the yeast. Passive transfer of 8 mAbs to WI-1 into 3 different inbred strains of mice also did not improve the course of experimental infection and sometimes worsened it. mu-deficient mice were more resistant to experimental blastomycosis than were intact littermates, and passive transfer of the mAbs into these mice did not protect them against experimental infection. Thus, antibody to WI-1 does not appear to improve the outcome of murine blastomycosis and may enhance the infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antigens, Fungal / immunology*
  • Blastomyces / drug effects
  • Blastomyces / growth & development
  • Blastomyces / immunology*
  • Blastomycosis / immunology*
  • Blastomycosis / prevention & control
  • Cell Line
  • Fungal Proteins*
  • Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / physiology
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / immunology*
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / prevention & control
  • Macrophages
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred A
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Recombinant Proteins

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Fungal
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • Immunoglobulin mu-Chains
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Interferon-gamma