title: Immune recognition of excretory and secretory products of the filarial nematodeOnchocerca ochengiin cattle and human sera.
abstract: Excretory-secretory (ES) products of nematodes and other helminths are the first molecules to interact with cell surfaces and soluble proteins within the host. In the present study, ES products of the filarial nematode Onchocerca ochengi were investigated as a model for Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of river blindness. These products were collected from adult and larval stages in vitro over a period of 7 days, to compare their immunological recognition in cattle and human sera, infected with species of Onchocerca. From the 156 sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) ES products or extracts, protein bands showed different patterns between female and male products. A comparison of antibody recognition of the different ES products by sera from infected cattle and humans, when analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), revealed a relatively higher reactivity of the female somatic extract to human and cattle sera compared to ES products of both genders. Nevertheless, similar reactivity of the O. ochengi male and female ES products to human and cattle sera was noticed. As a result, the interaction of ES products with the surface of the host and immune system often led to host responses, including the generation of antibodies. The O. ochengi ES products are therefore good sources of potential immunogenic proteins. The identification of these ES products is in progress, with the aim of developing vaccine candidates against human onchocerciasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.|Tropical Medicine Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Djafsia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ndjonka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.|Department of Molecular Physiology, Institute for Zoophysiology, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Dikti
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Hoorn
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Veterinary Research Laboratory, Wakwa regional centre, PO Box 65 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manchang
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brattig
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Physiology, Institute for Zoophysiology, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liebau