title: Detection of antibodies to the 97 kDa component of Toxoplasma gondii in samples of human serum.
abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the immune response against 97 kDa (p97) molecular marker of Toxoplasma gondii that has been characterized as a cytosolic protein and a component of the excreted-secreted antigens from this parasite. A total of 60 serum samples from patients were analyzed by enzime-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot for toxoplasmosis. These samples were organized in three groups, based on clinical symptoms and results of serological tests. Group I: 20 samples reactive to IgG and IgM (acute phase); group II: 20 non-reactive samples (control group); and group III: 20 samples reactive only to IgG (chronic phase). Western blot was performed with total antigenic extracts or with excreted and secreted antigen from T. gondii to identify the fraction correspondent to p97. It was observed that this cytosolic component from T. gondii stimulates the immunologic system to produce both IgM and IgG antibodies in the beginning of the acute infection and IgG throughout the chronic stage of the asymptomatic toxoplasmosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alessandra Carla de Almeida
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mineo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins