Antigens of Fusarium solani: types and criteria for immunochemical characterization

Background: there are no established methods for the preparation and standardization of Fusarium solani antigens. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to use these antigens in allergenic diagnostic tests. Objective: to obtain an appropriate standardized method for the preparation of the different antigen types of F. solani. M ethods: product ion of fungal extracts, follow ed by biochemical and immunological characterization. Results: the somatic antigens presented the greatest protein content most of these proteins are common to the metabolic and hydrosoluble antigens, particularly those proteins at 35-39 kDa, 29-32 kDa and 15-16 kDa, as detected by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The hydrosoluble antigens presented the highest protein diversity; these proteins w ere the most specific, show ing minor determinants in common w ith the other antigens. Conclusions: it is recommended that a mixture of the different antigen sources be used in order to obtain extracts which would cover the maximum number of diagnostic possibilities.