Antireceptor Yeast Killer Toxin-like Antibiobodies

Abstract

The fungicidal activity of human natural antibodies, elicited in the course of Candida albicans and Pneumocystis carinii infections against the cell wall receptors for a Pichia anomala killer toxin, that mimic the yeast killer toxin-like antiidiotypic antibodies (antibiobodies) raised through parenteral and mucosal immunization with a yeast killer toxin neutralizing monoclonal antibody (idiotypic vaccination) which protected animals from systemic and vaginal candidiasis is discussed on the basis of the background of the yeast killer phenomenon and in the perspective of the potential of molecular immunology for the production of conceptually new engineered antifungal recombinant antibodies. © 1996, The Japanese Society for Medical Mycology. All rights reserved.