Evaluation of Candida albicans allergens reactive with specific IgE in asthma and atopic eczema patients

Candida albicans (C. albicans) produces important allergenic components which can induce allergic reactions in sensitised patients. The purpose of this study was to extract the C. albicans antigens for evaluating the specific anti-Candida IgE in sera of atopic eczema (AE) and asthmatic patients (AS). 95 AE, 85 AS, and 70 non-atopic cases were selected with sequential trials. Candida albicans antigens were prepared and then skin prick test (SPT), ELISA and IgE-immunoblotting tests were performed for all patients. Positive SPT reactions were obtained on 52.6% of AE and 54.1% of AS patients and 4.3% of healthy controls (P < 0.05). Using ELISA, specific anti-C. albicans IgE antibody was detected in 32.6% and 41.2% of patients with AE and AS, respectively. No specific IgE antibody was detected in healthy controls (P < 0.05). In SDS-PAGE, protein bands with molecular weights between 13 and 135 kDa were detected, and some of them reacted with specific IgE in immunoblotting. In AE patients, the most important allergenic components were 25, 34, and 57 kDa protein bands, whereas in AS, 22, 25, and 34 kDa protein bands were observed as major allergens. Candida albicans produces different allergenic components that can induce allergic reactions and may be pathogenetically important in patients with AE and AS.