[Prepare and study on the characterization of a new monoclonal antibody to germ tube Candida albicans].

AIM: To prepare and identify the monoclonal antibody(mAb) specific for the germ tube of Candida albicans. METHODS: mAb were prepared via hybridoma technique. Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) was used to analyze the activity and specificity of the mAb. The protection of the mAb was analyzed via the inhibition of the mAb to the germ tube formation and the adhesion of C.albicans to the epithelial and endothelial cells. The frozen hybridoma cells were cultured to analyze the ability of the secretion of the mAb. RESULTS: mAb03.2C1-C2 belongs to IgG1 subclass. Relative molecular mass (M(r)) of antigens recognized by the mAb was 156, 48, 22 and 12. The target antigen could be detected 30 minutes after the germ tube formation. The epitope might lie in the N-carbohydrate chain. mAb03.2C1-C2 was shown by IIF test to be specific to the surface of the germ tube or mycelium phase of C.albicans. In the protective mAb screening experiment, it was found that mAb3.2C1-C2 could inhibit C.albicans germ tube formation and the adhension of C.albicans to the epithelial and endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: In vitro, mAb03.2C1-C2 could inhibit the formation of germ tube of C.albicans, which could depress the invasiveness of C.albicans. This anti-C.albicans cell wall surface-specific mAb may be a good candidate for use in tests for the rapid differentiation of the two closely related species C.albicans and C.dubliniensis.