Somatic (mycelial) and metabolic (culture filtrate) antigens of Aspergillusflavus, A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. niger and A. terreus were compared by line immunoelectroplioresis with sera from patients with allergic broncliopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) or aspergilloma, or from immunized animals. Number of lines observed when tested with human sera were similar for somatic and metabolic preparations of A. fumigatus, but up to 33 lines were present when both types of antigens were tested simultaneously. Cross-reactions between heterologous antigens and sera from patients with aspergiUoma or ABPA were uncommon. In contrast, cross-reactions were common when standard antisera prepared in animals against heterologous species of Aspergillus were tested against A. fumigatus antigens. Lines of identity between homologous antigens and those from A. fumigatus were observed in 5 of 9 lines obtained with A. flavus, 4 of 16 lines of A. nidulans, 4 of 9 lines of A. niger and 4 of 8 lines of A. terreus.In a previous report [5], the specificities of a range of antigens obtained from Aspergillus fumigatus and four other pathogenic Aspergillus species (tt. flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger and A. terreus) were compared by ELISA and immunofluorescence procedures. This second report describes the results of studies on shared and specific antigens within pathogenic Aspergillus spp. as revealed by line immunoelectrophoresis (LIE).
METHODS
AntigensOne mycelial (somatic) extract of A. fumigatus containing water soluble (WS) components has been described previously [5], viz. WS2140/2, prepared from isolate NCPF 2140. A culture filtrate (metabolic) antigen (M 0608) was prepared from isolate IND 0608 grown at 37"C for 35 days in continuously stirred glucose peptone broth [2]. Mycelial growth was removed by centrifugation. The culture medium was then dialysed against distilled water for 72 h and freeze dried. ~Present address: