Detection of antibodies against Candida albicans ribosomes by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was found to be a convenient method for the investigation of antibodies in mice immunized with Candida albicans ribosomes. Antibodies against the ribosomal antigen were detected in all the sera of mice (ICR and BALB/c) immunized with ribosomes and incomplete Freund's adjuvant and in some of the sera of mice immunized with ribosomes only; the titer of antibodies varied from 1:320 to 1:10 240. Vaccination of mice with ribosomal protein and IFA resulted in a high titer of antiribosomal antibodies. Treatment of ribosomes with pronase abrogated the capacity of the ribosomes to elicit anti ribosomal humoral responses, suggesting that the antibodies detected were directed against the protein moiety of the ribosomes. The presence of antibodies in sera of immunized mice could not be correlated with the protection afforded by the ribosomal vaccination.