Jm. Wastling et al., KINETICS OF THE LOCAL AND SYSTEMIC ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INFECTION WITH S48 TOXOPLASMA-GONDII IN SHEEP, Journal of Comparative Pathology, 112(1), 1995, pp. 53-62
Vaccination of sheep with live tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, strai
n S48, affords protection against subsequent challenge with the parasi
te, but the mechanisms of immunity have not been fully determined. To
understand better the nature of the antibody response the kinetics of
both local and systemic antibody production were monitored in vaccinat
ed sheep by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western
blotting. Local specific IgG production was analysed in efferent lymph
obtained from the cannulated pre-femoral lymph node draining the site
of infection. Antibody in efferent lymph plasma and peripheral blood
serum from animals vaccinated with S48 tachyzoites was monitored and c
ompared with IgG production in vaccinated sheep given a secondary tach
yzoite challenge. Secondary challenge resulted in a clear immunologica
l memory response, antibody being detected in the lymph 3 to 4 days af
ter infection as compared with 7 to 8 days after a primary infection.
IgG production was dominated by antibody recognizing a protein with an
apparent molecular weight of 30 kDa, but other antigens (32, 24 and 1
1 kDa) were also readily detected.