WORKSHOP ON A DETAILED CHARACTERIZATION OF TRICHINELLA-SPIRALIS ANTIGENS - A PLATFORM FOR FUTURE STUDIES ON ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES TO THISPARASITE

In order to characterize immunodominant components of T. spiralis a wo rkshop was organized. In this the reactivity of monoclonal and polyclo nal antibodies, provided by differ ent research groups, towards total extracts from adult, new born larvae and muscle larvae as well as to e xcretory/secretory components of muscle larvae were tested by ELISA, W estern blot and immunoprecipitation assays. As a result of this worlis hop T. spiralis ML antigens have been classified into eight groups (TS L-1-TSL-8) according to their recognition by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Among them, TSL-1 antigens have been the most extensively characterized both biochemically and immunologically. These antigens are stage specific, originate in the muscle stichosome and are abundan t in both EIS and on the larval cuticular surface. The TSL-1 antigens share an immunodominant carbohydrate epitope (tyvelose), which is uniq ue for Trichinella and is not associated with phosphorylcholine. The d ata collected in this workshop has allowed both the unification of the nomenclature for T. spiralis antigens and their biochemical character ization. It also has provided a platform for further studies on the ch aracterization of other T. spiralis antigens and indeed for other Tric hinella species.