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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, March 2009, p. 330-336, Vol. 16, No. 3
1071-412X/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00429-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antibodies in the Sera of Host Species with Pythiosis Recognize a Variety of Unique Immunogens in Geographically Divergent Pythium insidiosum Strains{triangledown}

Ariya Chindamporn,1 Raquel Vilela,2 Kathleen A. Hoag,2,3 and Leonel Mendoza2,4*

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,1 Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program,2 Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,3 Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan4

Received 19 November 2008/ Returned for modification 9 December 2008/ Accepted 21 December 2008

Studies by Western blot analyses have shown that antibodies in the sera of host species infected by Pythium insidiosum recognized several prominent proteins expressed by this fungus-like pathogen. Although these studies have utilized sera from infected patients and relevant local strains of P. insidiosum, the results are difficult to compare because of the lack of method standardization. In an effort to resolve this issue, we have utilized standardized methodologies to evaluate six P. insidiosum strains from Asia and the Americas and 15 serum samples from cattle, cats, dogs, horses, and humans with pythiosis from the same geographical regions. Our data show that the antibodies present in these sera recognize a wide variety of unique P. insidiosum immunogenic proteins. Although some of the prominent proteins in this study have been previously reported, several others have yet to be described. For instance, a ~28-kDa-molecular-mass antigen was detected by the antibodies in all serum samples evaluated. However, this antigen was strongly expressed by only one of the strains evaluated. A diffuse ~51-kDa protein was not detected by the antibodies in the human sera; but it was recognized by the antibodies in the sera of cattle, cats, dogs, and horses. This antigen was expressed by only two of the strains investigated. Several other similar examples were also observed. The variation of the P. insidiosum protein profile identified by the antibodies in the sera evaluated indicates that some geographically diverged P. insidosum strains expressed some unique immunogens in vitro and that during natural infection (in vivo) P. insidiosum might express a broader number of antigens variably detected by individuals within the same species but especially across species.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, 322 North Kedzie Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1031. Phone: (517) 432-1234. Fax: (517) 432-2006. E-mail: mendoza9{at}msu.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 30 December 2008.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, March 2009, p. 330-336, Vol. 16, No. 3
1071-412X/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00429-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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