Document 0453
 DOCN  M9650453
 TI    Antigenic differences associated with genetically distinct Pneumocystis
       carinii from rats.
 DT    9605
 AU    Vasquez J; Smulian AG; Linke MJ; Cushion MT; Department of Internal
       Medicine, James Quillen College of; Medicine, Johnson City, Tennessee
       37614-0622, USA.
 SO    Infect Immun. 1996 Jan;64(1):290-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96110946
 AB    Pneumocystis carinii is a family of organisms found in a wide variety of
       mammalian lungs. In immunocompromised hosts, the organisms are able to
       produce an oftentimes fatal pneumonia. The existence of distinct types
       of Pneumocystis populations is strongly supported by antigenic and
       genetic evidence. In the present study, we assessed the antigenic
       profiles of two genetically distinct Pneumocystis carinii populations,
       P. carinii f. sp. carinii and P. carinii f. sp. ratti, as well as two
       types of P. carinii f. sp. carinii defined by electrophoretic
       karyotyping (forms 1 and 2). The separated and blotted proteins of the
       organism preparations were probed with four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs)
       generated to the major surface glycoproteins of rat-derived P. carinii,
       one anti-human P. carinii MAb, and two polyclonal antisera made with
       rat-derived P. carinii as the immunogen. Differences in reactivities
       between the P. carinii f. sp. carinii and P. carinii f. sp. ratti
       preparations were detected with two of the MAbs, and both of the rat P.
       carinii polyclonal antisera in the 45- to 55-kDa molecular mass range,
       but not with the human P. carinii MAb. The reactivities of the 16 P.
       carinii f. sp. carinii preparations were the same with two exceptions.
       Two preparations of form 1 showed strong reactivity with the anti-MSG
       MAb RA-C11. The ratios of cyst forms to trophic forms evaluated by
       microscopy were not associated with any of the differences observed in
       the antigenic profiles. The antigenic differences between P. carinii f.
       sp. carinii and P. carinii f. sp. ratti are consistent with the
       distinction of these two populations made by molecular genetic
       techniques, while the two differences detected among the P. carinii f.
       sp. carinii preparations suggest the organism may be able to modulate
       antigenic epitopes. The use of immunoblotting to differentiate infecting
       organism populations and assess antigenic modulation holds promise for
       future epidemiologic studies.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/MICROBIOLOGY  Animal  Antibodies,
       Fungal  Antibodies, Monoclonal  Antigens, Fungal/*IMMUNOLOGY  Blotting,
       Southern  Cell Differentiation  Colony Count, Microbial  Comparative
       Study  Fungal Proteins/IMMUNOLOGY  Human  Immunoblotting
       Immunocompromised Host  Membrane Glycoproteins/IMMUNOLOGY  Pneumocystis
       carinii/CLASSIFICATION/*GENETICS/*IMMUNOLOGY  Rats  Rats,
       Sprague-Dawley/*MICROBIOLOGY  Species Specificity  Support, U.S. Gov't,
       P.H.S.  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).