title: Characterization of a circulating antigen involved in immune complexes in visceral leishmaniasis patients.
abstract: Complications of visceral leishmaniasis are explained in part by immune complex pathology, particularly nephritis. Using the polyethylene glycol precipitation method, we identified among these complexes a Leishmania infantum circulating antigen by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Monoclonal antibodies were produced to specifically detect this antigen. This protein (molecular weight 51 kD) is a cytoplasmic antigen of L. infantum and its synthesis by promastigotes is related to stationary-phase culture. It was present in sera from dogs whose leishmaniasis was associated with nephritis, and it was found in the sera of 30% of human patients with visceral leishmaniasis. It was also detected in the sera of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, and it persists in the sera of clinically cured subjects.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mary
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ange
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lamouroux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quilici
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004285:Dogs; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan