title: Utility of a protein fraction with cathepsin L-Like activity purified from cysticercus fluid of Taenia solium in the diagnosis of human cysticercosis.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis, an endemic parasitic disease in most developing countries, is caused by Taenia solium and compromises the human central nervous system. Cathepsin L-like proteases are secreted by several parasites including T. solium and constitute important antigens for immunodiagnostics. A protein fraction with cathepsin L-like activity was purified from the cysticercus fluid by size exclusion and ion exchange chromatography. Cathepsin L-like activity was measured fluorometrically by detecting the hydrolysis of the fluorogenic substrate Z-Phe-Arg-AMC. The purified protein fraction included antigens of 53 and 25 kD that were tested in a Western immunoblot and in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of human cysticercosis. The sensitivity of the Western immunoblot was 96% for patients infected with multiple cysts and 78% for patients with a single cyst. Specificity was 98%. The sensitivity of the ELISA was 98% in patients with multiple cysts and 84% in patients with a single cyst. Specificity was 92.7%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimic
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pajuelo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Yanina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arana
authors.forename: Yesenia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vinetz
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: Héctor H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003552:Cysticercus / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D002403:Cathepsins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C534281:CTSL protein, human; D056668:Cathepsin L