Oxidized fungal antigens and methods of making and using thereof

• US 20050112708A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Incorporated (Quest Diagnostics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Focus Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Devor, Ken, Ngo, Celine, Kong, Lilly, Hogrefe, Wayne, Su, Xin, Arakelov, Sergei, Prince, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 7,205,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.310
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/37 from fungi
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2469/10 Detection of antigens from microorganism in sample from host
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2469/20 Detection of antibodies in sample from host which are directed against antigens from microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56961 Plant cells or fungi

Abstract

The present invention relates to oxidized fungal antigens and methods of making and using thereof. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for producing an oxidized fungal antigen in culture filtrate. The present invention also provides for the produced oxidized fungal antigens. Devices comprising such oxidized fungal antigens, methods for testing for fungal antibodies using the oxidized fungal antigens and methods for producing anti-fungal antibodies using oxidized fungal antigens are further provided. Antigen detection devices comprising anti-fungal antibodies raised against oxidized fungal antigens produced by the present methods are further provided.

Claims

1. A method of testing an antibody to a fungus in a sample, the method comprising:

a) providing a fungal antigen;

b) simultaneously contacting the fungal antigen with an oxidizing agent to produce an oxidized fungal antigen, wherein said oxidized fungal antigen is suitable for testing an antibody to the fungus, and attaching the oxidized fungal antigen to a surface of a device suitable for testing said antibody to the fungus;

c) contacting a sample suspected of containing an antibody to a fungus with the oxidized fungal antigen produced in step b) under suitable conditions to allow binding of the antibody, if present in the sample, to the oxidized fungal antigen; and

d) assessing binding between the antibody and the oxidized fungal antigen to determine the presence and/or amount of the antibody in the sample.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fungus is a pathogenic fungus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a clinical sample.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the clinical sample is a human clinical sample.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fungal antigen has not been purified from the culture filtrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidizing agent is periodate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding between the antibody and the oxidized fungal antigen is assessed by a sandwich or competitive assay format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding between the antibody and the oxidized fungal antigen is assessed by a format selected from the group consisting of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunostaining, latex agglutination, indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA), complement fixation, indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA), nephelometry, flow cytometry assay, chemiluminescence assay, lateral flow immunoassay, u-capture assay, inhibition assay and avidity assay.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding between the antibody and the oxidized fungal antigen is assessed by an ELISA format.