PLASMA (1-]3)-BETA-D-GLUCAN ASSAY AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STAINING OF(1-]3)-BETA-D-GLUCAN IN THE FUNGAL CELL-WALLS USING A NOVEL HORSESHOE-CRAB PROTEIN (T-GBP) THAT SPECIFICALLY BINDS TO (1-]3)-BETA-D-GLUCAN

A highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific to (1--> 3)-beta-D-glucans (GBP-ELISA) has been developed using a novel (1 -->3 )-beta-D-glucan-binding protein (T-GBP), which was purified from the a mebocyte lysate of the Japanese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus . This method allowed quantitation of the glucans in a concentration r ange of 0.1-1,000 ng/ml, regardless of linear and branched structures, and was applied to determine the amounts of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in human and animal plasmas for diagnosis of fungemia. High levels of pla sma glucan contents in clinical samples were found to be correlated cl osely with the severity of fungal infection. T-GBP was successfully ut ilized for indirect immunofluorescence staining of (1-->3)-beta-D-gluc an in Candida albicans cell walls. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 11:104-109. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.