Ultrastructural localization of Cryptosporidium parvum antigen using human patients sera.
The antigen location of Cryptosporidium parvum, which stimulates antibody formation in humans and animals, was investigated using infected human sera. Immuno-electron microscopy revealed that antigenicity-inducing humoral immunity was located at various developmental stages of parasites, including asexual, sexual stages, and oocysts. The amount of antigen-stimulating IgG antibodies was particularly high on the oocyst wall. The sporozoite surface was shown to give stimulation on IgG and IgM antibody formation. Trophozoites implicated the lowest antigenicity to humoral immunity, both IgG and IgM, by showing the least amount of gold labeling. Immunogold labeling also provided clues that antigens were presented to the host-cell cytoplasm via feeder organelles and host-parasite junctions.
Lee
Jong-Gyu
JG
Department of Environmental and Tropical Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Han
Eun-Taek
ET
Park
Woo-Yoon
WY
Yu
Jae-Ran
JR
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D034101:Sporozoites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M