Sensitization to fungi is prevalent in childhood, with an age-dependent distribution reaching maximum values at 7.7-7.8 years, followed by a decline for all fungal sensitization with increasing age. The importance and relative contribution of fungal sensitization to airway disease, compared with the other allergens, remains to be established.
IgG, IgA and IgM ELISA antibody titers against Aspergillus fumigatus were elevated in sera of patients with aspergilloma and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), showing higher titers for the IgG antibodies compared with the IgA and IgM antibodies. No differences were found between titers of identical antibody classes in the two groups of sera. IgG and IgA ELISA titers were highly specific whereas IgM ELISA showed more unspecific binding of IgM antibodies. Antibodies, as measured by ELISA, studied after fractionation of the antigen into fractions of decreasing molecular weight, showed a preferential binding by the high molecular weight fractions. Precipitating antibodies studied in patient sera did not always correspond with the IgG ELISA titers. IgE antibody binding was observed in all fractions from Sephadex G-100 fractionated components; maximum binding was found with fractions of 28,000–60,000 daltons. The low molecular weight fractions (18,000–<5,000 daltons) showed less IgE binding but the quantity of this fraction was higher. The discrepancies noted between the IgG and IgA ELISA titers and the binding of IgM or IgE antibodies indicate that antigenic components may in part differ in the binding of antibody classes.
During cultivation of Aspergillus fumigatus a rapid liberation of IgE-binding components was found reaching maximum values during the logarithmic phase of growth (phase I). After a fall in IgE-binding titers during phase II, appearance of additional IgE-binding components was noted during the period of lysis of the microorganism (phase III). These latter allergenic components are different from the phase I IgE-binding components, as was shown by crossed-inhibition studies. The number of precipitating antigenic components was not related with the corresponding IgE-binding titers and showed an increase during all phases of growth. The rapid changes in both IgE- and IgG-binding properties and the discrepancies between precipitating properties and IgE binding are discussed in relation to standardization and quality control of aspergillus extracts.
When growing Botrytis cinerea in Sabouraud medium, different phases of growth could be recognized using pH, mycelium yield, and culture filtrate antigens as parameters of growth. Immunological characteristics of the different phases (early, intermediate, and late) of growth were measured using IgE and IgG binding by enzyme allergosorbent test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, and quantities of precipitating components (double immunodiffusion and rocket immunoelectrophoresis). The number of precipitating components was maximal in culture filtrate extracts during late phase (III) of growth. In contrast, both IgE and IgG binding were already maximal in the early phase of growth (9 days of cultivation). In a group of patients with elevated IgE antibodies against Aspergillus fumigatus, about half of them also showed elevated IgE antibodies against B. cinerea. This indicates that multiple exposition is a cause of multiple sensitization; however, cross-reactivity in some of these sera cannot be excluded.
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