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We have recently developed a protocol to obtain a soluble Candida spp. b1, 3-glucan (CSBG) by sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) oxidation and subsequent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extraction. CSBG is composed mainly of b-1,3 and b-1,6-glucosidic linkages with a small amount of branching. Antibody to b-glucan is generally difficult to produce. In the present study, the specificity of the human sera to CSBG was examined by ELISA. Using CSBG-coated plates, sera from normal human volunteers showed high reactivity that was neutralized by adding soluble CSBG as a competitor. However, the reactivity could not be neutralized by a b-1,6 branched b-1,3-glucan, grifolan. Similar specificity of the immunoglobulin (Ig) was detected in commercially available g-globulin prepared from pooled human sera. Comparing various standard glucans, a major epitope was present on b-1,6 glucan segment. Drug Dev.

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