Conjugation of yeast mannans with protein employing cyanopyridinium agent (CDAP)--an effective route of antifungal vaccine preparation

Abstract

The possibility of using 1-cyano-4-dimethylaminopyridinium tetrafluoroborate (CDAP) for activation of saccharide hydroxyl groups (instead of hazardous cyanogen bromide) is examined with cell-surface mannans of the yeasts Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida lambica and galactoglucoxylomannan of Cryptococcus laurentii. Direct conjugation with human serum albumin yielded soluble products with increased molecular size in comparison with the original polysaccharides. Immunodiffusion experiments revealed that conjugation did not affect the immunospecificity of the antigen epitppe.