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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327296
Title: Characterization of IgG monoclonal antibody targeted to both tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of Toxoplasma gondii

Author
item GONDIM, PITA - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut
item WOLF, PAUL - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut
item VRHOVEC, MAJDA - Idexx Laboratories
item PANTECHEV, NIKOLA - Idexx Laboratories
item BAUER, CHRISTIAN - Idexx Laboratories
item LANGENMEYER, MARTIN - Maximillians University
item BOHNE, WOLFGANG - Gottingen University
item TEIFKE, JENS - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut
item Dubey, Jitender
item CONRATHS, FRANZ - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut
item SCHARES, GEREON - Friedrich-Loeffler-institut

Submitted to: Experimental Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2016
Publication Date: 4/1/2016
Citation: Gondim, P., Wolf, P., Vrhovec, M., Pantechev, N., Bauer, C., Langenmeyer, M., Bohne, W., Teifke, J., Dubey, J.P., Conraths, F., Schares, G. 2016. Characterization of IgG monoclonal antibody targeted to both tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of Toxoplasma gondii. Experimental Parasitology. 163:46-56.

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasmosis caused by a single celled parasite,Toxoplasma gondii, continues to be a worldwide public health problem. Human toxoplasmosis accounts for an estimated one-fifth of all diagnosed foodborne infections in the United States, and one fifth of the economic costs attributable to any foodborne pathogen. Pregnant women and their fetuses are exposed to elevated health risks. Humans become infected by eating under cooked meat from infected animals and food and water contaminated with oocyst. The detection of oocysts in environmental samples is a major problem because of the few oocysts present. In the present study authors developed a monoclonal antibody against the oocysts that is likely to help in the detection of oocysts in contaminated water and foods. These results will be of interest to parasitologists and biologists.

Technical Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately one third of the human population and animals habiting terrestrial and aquatic environments. Its environmentally resistant oocysts are excreted by felids, and the stage encysted in tissues (tissue cysts), are important in the horizontal transmission of T. gondii. The oocyst and tissue cyst walls are crucial for the persistence of the parasite; however, the composition and structure of these walls are not well understood. Herein we report the generation of monoclonal antibodies using mice immunized with oocyst antigens of T. gondii. One monoclonal antibody (mAb) G1/19 reacted solely with the surface of sporozoites. The respective antigen had a relative molecular weight (Mr) of 30 kDa. Another mAb, designated K8/15-15, recognized antigens in sporocyst walls, and in the walls of in vivo and in vitro produced tissue cysts, as demonstrated by double fluorescence and immunoblot assays. Antigens of 80 to 340 kDa Mr were recognized by this antibody using antigen extracts from sporocysts, and from in vitro and in vivo generated tissue cysts. Tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of related coccidians, Hammondia hammondi and H. heydorni and tissue cysts of N. caninum were also recognized by mAb K8/15-15. Sporocyst walls of another related coccidian Cystoisospora (Isospora) felis also reacted to this mAb. Reactivity by a single mAb against T. gondii antigens in tissue cyst and sporocysts had not been reported previously. These antigens are probably secreted by T. gondii bradyzoites and sporozoites. The mAb K8/15-15 maybe a practical tool for the identification of both tissue cysts and sporocysts of T. gondii, and in proteomic studies on the identification of new components of the cyst and sporocyst walls of T. gondii