We reported previously that yeast-derived whole glucan particles (WGPs), with or without conjugation to BSA, used as a vaccine protected against systemic aspergillosis in mice. Here, we examined their utility as a potential vaccine against coccidioidomycosis. WGPs were prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; conjugation with BSA (WGP–BSA) was done using 1-cyano-4-dimethylaminopyridinium tetrafluoroborate-mediated conjugation. Heat-killed S. cerevisiae (HKY) was used as a positive-control vaccine. CD-1 mice were vaccinated with WGPs or WGP–BSA, HKY or PBS once weekly, beginning 21 days prior to infection. Mice were infected intravenously with arthroconidia of Coccidioides posadasii. In the low-mortality study, 50 % of PBS-treated controls died. Only WGP–BSA at 0.6 mg per dose induced significant protection compared with PBS treatment. All surviving mice were infected in all three organs examined. Those given WGP–BSA at 0.6 mg per dose had fewer c.f.u. in liver and lungs (P = 0.04), and those given WGPs at 6 mg per dose had fewer in lungs (P < 0.02), compared with PBS. In the high-mortality study, 90 % of PBS mice died. Vaccination with HKY, and WGPs or WGP–BSA at 6 or 12 mg per dose significantly prolonged survival (P ≤ 0.05). No surviving mice were free of infection. HKY and WGP–BSA at 12 mg per dose reduced c.f.u. in the liver and lungs (P < 0.05) and WGP–BSA at 6 mg per dose reduced c.f.u. in the lungs (P < 0.05); unconjugated WGPs did not reduce infection. WGPs or WGP–BSA acted as a vaccine that protected against mortality caused by coccidioidomycosis. Thus, WGP protection against coccidioidomycosis and aspergillosis provides the basis for development of a pan-fungal vaccine.
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