SURFACE ANTIGENIC DETERMINANT OF EPIMASTIGOTE FORMS COMMON TO TRYPOMASTIGOTE AND AMASTIGOTE FORMS OF DIFFERENT STRAINS OF TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (2) , 239-246
Abstract
A fraction (FA) was isolated from the sediment obtained from T. cruzi of epimastigote lysates centrifugated at 1500 .times. g, for 30 min. This fraction, obtained by extracting sediments for 10 min with ice-cold 0.1 N NaOH, exhibited a single component, a glycoprotein, when analyzed by electrophoresis in 1% agarose gel and presented a single faint precipitation line in immunophoresis experiments. FA components were unable to penetrate polyacrylamide gel matrix, even when 1% SDS 4% polyacrylamide gels were used unless previously hydrolyzed by parasite proteinase. Under this condition FA preparations presented at least 4 glycoproteins components as detected by electrophoresis in 1% SDS [sodium dodecyl sulfate] 15% polyacrylamide gels. FA obtained from Y strain could inhibit agglutination reactions between anti-epimastigote sera and epimastigote of Y or Nic strains. Anti-Fa antibodies, elicited in 4 of 12 rabbits inoculated with this fraction, gave positive immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase reactions with blood tryptomastigota and tissue amastigota, obtained from mice infected with any of 6 different strains of T. cruzi. These reactions which were inhibited by FA preparations were completely abolished if antisera were absorbed with living epimastigota of Y or Nic strains.