Autoantibody toheat-shock protein 90can mediateprotection against systemic candidosis

SUMMARY Epitope mapping showsthatpatients recovering fromsystemic infection withCandidaalbicans produce antibodies against bothfungal-specific andconserved epitopes oftheheat-shock protein (hsp) 90.Ina mouse modelofsystemic candidosis, mortality was halved byprior administration of serafromtwoinfected patients containing antibodies tohsp90.Oneofthese patients hadno other candidal antibodies detectable on immunoblotting. Theprotective effect was mediated bythe immunoglobulin fraction oftheimmune serum.Itwas notobserved with a normalhumanserum. A mouse monoclonal antibody raised against one oftheconserved peptide epitopes suggested that an autoantibody tohsp90couldmediate protection against systemic candidosis intheanimal model.