THE MAJOR RADIOIODINATED CUTICULAR ANTIGENS OF ONCHOCERCA-GIBSONI MICROFILARIAE ARE NEITHER SPECIES NOR ONCHOCERCA SPECIFIC

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (3) , 343-352
Abstract
The possible role of microfilarial surface (cuticular) antigens in immunodiagnosis of human filarial infections was assessed using microfilariae (mf) of the cattle parasite O. gibsoni. A Triton X-100 extract of 125I-labeled O. gibsoni mf was reacted with a panel of sera from humans infected with O. volvulus, Wuchereria brancrofti and Schistosoma japonicum as well as sera from uninfected controls. These immunoprecipitations indicated that sera from humans infected with O. volvulus or W. bancrofti contain antibody specificities recognizing certain radioiodinated cuticular proteins of O. gibsoni mf. Two-dimensional gel analysis and subsequent autoradiography of these immunoprecipitates showed that 8 radioiodinated proteins recognized by sera from calves injected with O. gibsoni mf were also immunoprecipitated by sera from humans infected with either O. volvulus or W. bancrofti. There appeared to be no major radioiodinated cuticular antigens of O. gibsoni mf which are species or Onchocerca specific.