Trichomonas vaginalis: evaluating capsid proteins of dsRNA viruses and the dsRNA virus within patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic.
Some isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis, the number one, non-viral sexually transmitted disease agent, are infected with one or several distinct double stranded (ds)-RNA virus. Immune rabbit anti-capsid serum (IRS) reacted with the capsid protein of purified dsRNA virus of a subset of the virus-infected T. vaginalis isolates. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognized the capsid protein reactive with the IRS was generated. Analysis of the virus capsid protein of virus-infected isolates by probing nitrocellulose blots with mAb revealed diversity among immunoreactivity and in the size of the reactive capsid protein. Despite difficulties in visualizing virus within parasites by cross-section electron microscopy, gold-conjugated mAb readily labeled the cytoplasm of virus-positive trichomonads. Finally and importantly, isolates infecting patients attending an STD clinic, 75% of which were virus-positive isolates, had capsid protein of the same size detected by mAb present in all dsRNA viruses.
Alderete
J F
JF
Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, MC7758, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. alderete@uthscsa.edu
Wendel
K A
KA
Rompalo
A M
AM
Erbelding
E J
EJ
Benchimol
M
M
Chang
T-H
TH
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000032:analysis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000821:virology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral