title: Toxoplasma gondii: an evaluation of diagnostic value of recombinant antigens in a murine model.
abstract: Laboratory diagnostics of toxoplasmosis depends primarily on serological methods detecting specific antibodies. Since these methods do not always enable specific and sensitive recognition of the infection and phase of toxoplasmosis, the search for new diagnostic tools continues. Recombinant antigens promise a new alternative in diagnostics of Toxoplasma gondii infections. In this work the usefulness of six recombinant T. gondii antigens: GRA1, GRA6, GRA7, p35, SAG1, and SAG2 in the detection of primary murine toxoplasmosis was evaluated. Sera obtained from infected mice differing in their natural susceptibility to T. gondii infection, BALB/c (relatively resistant) and C57BL/6 (relatively susceptible), were tested using ELISA. During acute infection high response to GRA7, GRA6, and p35 antigens was noticed, whereas a strong reactivity with surface antigens SAG1 and SAG2 was characteristic for chronic toxoplasmosis. Our results show that the recombinant antigens are useful in distinguishing between acute and chronic toxoplasmosis regardless of the genetically determined susceptibility of the host.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunoparasitology, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Banacha 12/16 Str., Poland. gatjus@biol.uni.lodz.pl <gatjus@biol.uni.lodz.pl>
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gatkowska
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hiszczynska-Sawicka
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kur
authors.forename: Lucyna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holec
authors.forename: Henryka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dlugonska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011994:Recombinant Proteins