Immunological cross-reactivity between a glycoprotein isolated from Trichophyton mentagrophytes and human isoantigen A

ABO blood group and skin cancers

Beside the role of ABO group in immunohaematology, there is accumulating evidence that the ABO blood group also plays a key role in various human disorders. The interest in blood groups and their association with disease stems from the awareness that blood group antigens are incredibly important components in the process of cell maturation and control. Studies have indicated a link between cancer and the ABO blood group. The appearance or disappearance of blood type antigens is now considered a hallmark of malignancy in many common cancers. Several tumour markers are in fact known blood group antigens. The aim of this review is to describe the history and possible functions of the ABO group and then summarize the association between blood groups and skin cancers.

Dermatophytosis: association between ABO blood groups and reactivity to the trichophytin

The authors investigated the relationship between dermatophytosis and ABO blood groups through blood typing, identification of isolated dermatophytes and specific cellular immune response of 40 individuals carriers of this mycosis. They verified that the fungus Trichophyton rubrum, isolated from 54.5% of the patients, was more frequent in individuals belonging to blood group A. The cellular immune response, evaluated through the trichophytin antigen, was positive in 25% of the studied patients; the presence of immediate reactions (30 minutes) was verified in 35%. The blood group distribution among patients with dermatophytosis and control groups was, respectively: 47.5% X 36% in group A, 40% X 50% in group O, 12. 5% X 11% in group B. Even though the authors have found a higher number of patients belonging to blood group A infected by T. rubrum, these results suggest that there is no statistical evidence that these individuals are more susceptible to dermatophytosis.

Scenario of chronic dermatophytosis: an Indian study

Chronic dermatophytosis was observed in 2276 (10.02%) of 22,692 patients with dermatophytosis during a period of 5.5 years. Males were affected at least 3 times more frequently than females. The age group most commonly affected was between 20 and 40 years of age. Females were affected more between the ages of 30 to 40 years. Tinea cruris and tinea corporis were the most common clinical types and tinea pedis was the least common type observed. The most frequent isolate was Trichophyton rubrum followed by T. mentagrophytes and T. violaceum. Ichthyosis vulgaris was the most common cutaneous association whereas atopy and diabetes mellitus were the most common systemic associations.

ABO blood groups in relation to the infection rate of dermatophytosis

The role of ABO blood groups in the carriage rate of dermatophytosis was studied. Blood grouping was done for 108 culture-proven dermatophytosis patients. Forty-nine patients belonged to blood group A, 54 to blood group O, three to blood group B and two to blood group AB. The incidence of dermatophytosis was found to be high in patients of blood group O and A. However, chronicity of the disease was more frequent in those in blood group A. The control group consisted of 100 healthy subjects. Sixteen out of 29 control subjects belonging to blood group A had a history of skin infections. None of the O blood group control subjects had a history of skin infections. Our study suggests that A blood group subjects may be prone to chronic dermatophytosis.

Preparation of antigens from Trichophyton mentagrophytes using a new semi-solid culture medium and their characterization by SDS-PAGE and immunological techniques

A new semi-solid culture medium was developed by substituting the agar in Sabouraud glucose medium by Lutrol FC 127 (BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany). This culture medium can be liquefied by cooling it down from the incubation temperature to 5-10 degrees C, thus allowing the full harvest of fungal mycelium without any contamination by the gelling agent for antigen preparation. More than 25 protein bands with molecular weights in the range of 98 to 12 kDa were fractionated by SDS-PAGE in antigen preparations from Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Hyperimmune antisera were raised in rabbits and used for immunological studies. Heat-inactivated mycelium was used for the absorption of antibodies against heat-stable cell wall constituents. This absorption facilitated the detection of specific protein bands during immunoblotting which revealed 17 protein antigen bands reacting with antibodies over a range of molecular weights from 98 to 24 kDa.

Relationship between infectious diseases and human blood type

During the past eight decades, a large number of studies have examined the possible relationship between blood type and infection. Many publications reflect uncritical attempts to mathematically link unstratified or random data. The interaction of pathogen and erythrocyte membrane may reflect antigenic similarity, adhesion through specific receptors, or modulation of antibody response. Anthropological surveys suggest that the geographic and racial distribution of human blood groups reflects susceptibility of populations with specific blood types to the plague, cholera, smallpox, malaria and other infectious diseases.

Immunoregulation of dermatophytosis

Dermatophytoses are superficial infections caused by a group of fungi, the dermatophytes, which invade keratinized tissue of skin, hair, and nails in humans and animals. The importance of normal immune function in resistance to dermatophytoses is substantiated by an increased susceptibility to chronic infection seen in patients with impaired immunological responses. Humoral and cell-mediated immunities are both elicited during the infection. However, specific antibodies to dermatophytes do not seem to play a major role in protective immunity. On the other hand, the development of cell-mediated immunity during the infection is critical in eliciting resistance to the disease. For instance, resolution of the disease in both naturally and experimentally infected humans and animals correlates with the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), whereas persistence of infection is frequently accompanied by poor in vitro blastogenic response and absent DTH. Furthermore, in experimentally infected mice, immunity to dermatophyte infection can be achieved by adoptive transfer of lymphoid cells, but not by serum, of infected donors. The present review includes an overview of published work and current research on the cellular events implicated in immunity to dermatophytosis. The role of humoral factors in such immunoregulation is also discussed.

Chronic dermatophyte infection: evaluation of the Ig class-specific antibody response reactive with polysaccharide and peptide antigens derived from Trichophyton mentagrophytes

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum antibodies within Ig classes IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE against two partially purified Trichophyton mentagrophytes-derived antigens: polysaccharide (SAC) and peptide (PEP). Sera from 27 chronically infected adults, 16 normal noninfected adults, and 17 noninfected children were evaluated. All sera were reactive, indicating that circulating antibody reactive to PEP and SAC is a feature common to most people, regardless of age and the presence of active infection. The reactivity to SAC was much greater than to PEP. Inhibition assays revealed that components of PEP are found in SAC. Chronically infected adults showed slightly elevated IgG and IgA reactivity to both SAC and PEP compared with noninfected normal adults. This elevated reactivity correlated with the extent (% surface affected) of cutaneous infection. IgE antibody reactivity was detected only against SAC and was somewhat elevated in chronically infected adults. There was no association between antibody reactivity and immunoglobulin level or between the individual subject's level of antibody reactivity to PEP and SAC.

Blood groups and HLA antigens in paracoccidioidomycosis

The frequencies of blood groups, Rh and HLA antigens were studied in a series of patients with paracoccidioidomycosis as well as in control subjects. Statistical analysis of the results showed that only 2 antigens (HLA-A9 and HLA-B13) had a significantly increased frequency among patients with paracoccidioidomycosis compared with healthy controls. Among patients with paracoccidioidomycosis antigen HLA-A9 was significantly more prevalent in progressive pulmonary forms of the disease than in patients with extra pulmonary involvement. These observations suggest that HLA-A9 may influence susceptibility to the mycosis as well as its course.