Application of synthetic peptides to the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.
We tested the possible diagnostic utility of five Taenia saginata oncosphere-derived synthetic peptides in T. solium neurocysticercosis (NC). The five peptides correspond to protein sequences with high antigenic indexes that were cloned from a T. saginata oncosphere cDNA library. The test samples consisted of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples randomly collected from patients referred from Mexican and Brazilian neurological institutes. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were carried out with the peptides either unconjugated or coupled to carrier proteins, and were compared with results obtained using T. solium cyst fluid as a positive control. For active inflammatory NC, the higher sensibility (93%) and specificity (85%) was obtained with peptides HP6-2 and Ts45W-1, respectively, coupled to ovalbumin, in both Mexican and Brazilian patients. Examining the results of the individual peptide assays in combination, in some instances, improved the sensitivity to 100%.
Fleury
Agnès
A
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, México, DF México. afleury@biomedicas.unam.mx
Beltran
Constantino
C
Ferrer
Elizabeth
E
Garate
Terésa
T
Harrison
Leslie J S
LJ
Parkhouse
R Michael E
RM
Garcia
Esperanza
E
Fragoso
Gladis
G
Costa-Cruz
Julia
J
Biondi
Germano
G
Agapejev
Svetlana
S
Sciutto
Edda
E
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041202:Taenia saginata / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D010446:Peptide Fragments