title: Western blot analysis of Leishmania infantum antigens using sera from pentamidine-treated dogs.
abstract: Pentamidine treatment has been used successfully to establish immune cellular responses in recovered dogs. In this paper, we examined the appearance and disappearance of antibodies over time against crude Leishmania antigens and purified gp63 or gp70 proteins in sera from cured dogs using a Western blotting technique. Following the treatment, a pattern of antibody specificities to parasite antigens was observed in the sera of cured dogs. Antibodies to gp63 and gp70 were maintained after cure. In addition, the reaction with a 26 kD band observed during the clinical phase was no longer recognized by sera taken from recovery dogs. Interestingly, two proteins, 85 and 110 kD, not observed during the patent phase were detected by sera taken from treated dogs. Such patterns of antibody specificities to various parasite antigens might represent a useful parameter to determine the actual phase of the disease process.
authors.affiliation: Département de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan-II, B.P. 6202, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Saadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lasri
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sahibi
authors.forename: Amale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natami
authors.forename: Abdelkebir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rhalem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000276:immunology; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D010419:Pentamidine; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C055146:glycoprotein gp63, Leishmania