Performance of Two Different Limulus Amebocyte Lysate Assays for the Quantitation of Fungal Glucan

Abstract

This study examined the response of various forms and sources of glucans toward two different Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) methods, the modified LAL, and Glucatell. The glucans studied were curdlan, laminarin, yeast glucan, barley glucan, paramylon, pullulan, pustulan, mannan, and pachyman (as part of the Glucatell kit). Both methods provided largely similar results for each of the glucans; however, the Glucatell method yielded slightly higher responses to certain structures that may not necessarily be of fungal origin, leading to falsely greater positive results. The performance of each method to measure fungal glucan concentration specifically was then assessed.

Keywords:

• curdlan
• dectin receptor
• glucan
• Glucatell
• LAL
• Limulus amebocyte lysate

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was funded by Health Canada. We thank Madura Sornarajah, Mark Sumarah (Carleton University), and Bruce Fraser (Health Canada).

Notes

^ASignificantly different from curdlan response, ANOVA, Tukey HSD post hoc test (P < 0.05).