Serodiagnosis of Asian leishmaniasis with a recombinant antigen from the repetitive domain of a Leishmania kinesin.
rK39 is a recombinant product of the 39 amino acid repeats found in a kinesin-like gene of visceral Leishmania spp. This and other antigens were compared for immunodiagnostic potential by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with sera from confirmed cases of Asian cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. In preliminary trials, rK39 proved superior to 2 purified Leishmania antigens, a cytosolic protein (p36) and a membrane protein (gp63), for immunodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. Of the 53 visceral cases from China and Pakistan assayed, 52 were seropositive (98%) at a 10(-1) dilution with 36 ng of rK39. End point titrations of 27 highly positive samples yielded anti-rK39 antibody titres ranging from c. 10(-3) to beyond 10(-4). Antigen titrations with one positive serum further revealed that rK39 was 25-fold more sensitive than Leishmania whole cell soluble lysates. 31 cutaneous leishmaniasis cases from Turkey assayed for anti-rK39 antibody gave reactions ranging from negative or marginally positive to positive. In Brazil, all cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis cases gave negative results in this assay.
Qu
J Q
JQ
Department of Microbiology/Immunology, University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Illinois 60064.
Zhong
L
L
Masoom-Yasinzai
M
M
Abdur-Rab
M
M
Aksu
H S
HS
Reed
S G
SG
Chang
K P
KP
Gilman-Sachs
A
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C079253:K39 antigen, Leishmania