Humoral immune response in aspergillosis: an immunodominant glycoprotein of 35 kDa from Aspergillus flavus.

A glycoprotein preparation containing 70% carbohydrates and 30% proteins was isolated from the mycelium of two strains of Aspergillus flavus and fractionated by ConA-Sepharose affinity chromatography. An immunodominant 35-kDa antigen was detected in a ConA-bound fraction (B fraction). It contained mannose and galactose in a 1.4:1.0 ratio. This antigen seems to be able to elicit an antibody response in patients with aspergillosis and in rabbits immunized with A. flavus whole cells. The carbohydrate units of the BF fraction appeared to be responsible for the antigenicity, since treatment with periodate removed most of the antibody binding capacity.