title: Host immune response to northern fowl mite: immunoblot and lectin blot identification of mite antigens.
abstract: White leghorn hens were experimentally infested with northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and antibody responses to mite immunogens were monitored over 12 weeks. Mite burdens increased during the early phase of infestation and declined over the latter weeks of the study. Antigen was prepared from homogenized whole mites, which were then sonicated and extracted with non-ionic detergent. Antigen extract was fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and antibody-reactive polypeptides were identified by immunoblotting. At the start of infestation, hens had natural, pre-existing antibodies that reacted with several mite-extract components. Individual hens had different natural antibody reactivities; however, all birds had immunoglobulins reactive with extract polypeptides of 117,000, 77,000 and 36,000 molecular weight. A variety of mite extract components reacted with hen antibodies generated in response to experimental infestation. The number of antibody-reactive mite polypeptides increased through week 8 of infestation and then decreased by week 12. Fifteen polypeptides of northern fowl mite extract were reactive with antibodies developed by the majority of infested birds. These commonly reactive polypeptides had molecular weights ranging from 40,000 to 160,000. Glycoconjugates of fractionated mite extract were identified by blotting with lectins that have different carbohydrate binding specificities. Also identified were lectins that bound extract components with the same molecular weights as those moieties complexed by immunoglobulins of infested birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks 58202.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Wikel
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: DeVaney
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Augustine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000662:veterinary*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan