Production, characterization, and antibody specificity of a mouse monoclonal antibody reactive with Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharide

Two monoclonal immunoglobulin G1 antibodies reacting with Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharide (CNPS) were produced in mice by using a carefully defined procedure for immunization with unmodified CNPS purified from C. neoformans serotype A. Since the antibodies were found to have the same pattern of specificity, only one of them (E1) is described. This anti-CNPS monoclonal antibody reacted with the glucuronoxylomannan component of CNPS but not with the constituent monosaccharides or with the mannose alpha(1----3)-linked oligosaccharide structures present on CNPS. E1 appeared to be specific for C. neoformans serotype A by agglutination of whole cells; it was specific for soluble CNPS A by gel immunoprecipitation. However, indirect immunofluorescence and competitive-binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay experiments showed low levels of cross-reactivity with serotypes B and D but not with serotype C. Concentrations 10,000 times higher for serotypes B and D cells than for serotype A cells were required for a 50% inhibition of E1 anti-CNPS A activity as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among the other yeasts tested, a cross-reaction was only detected with Trichosporon beigelii. The four serotypes of C. neoformans could be distinguished based on intensities and patterns of fluorescence in an indirect immunofluorescence assay using the monoclonal anti-CNPS A antibody. Monoclonal anti-CNPS A antibodies could be useful for fundamental studies on the glucuronoxylomannan structure, as well as for clinical applications such as serotyping and possibly the serological diagnosis of cryptococcosis.