MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES RAISED AGAINST COCCIDIA AND MALARIAL PARASITES RECOGNIZE ANTIGENIC EPITOPES FOUND IN LANKESTERELLID AND ADELEORIN PARASITES

Three murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against poultry cocci dia or murine malarial parasites were tested for cross-reactivity with 2 sporozoan parasites with different life histories and hosts: Lankes terella minima (Eimeriorina), an intraerythrocytic parasite of frogs t hat is transmitted by leeches; and Hepatozoon catesbianae (Adeleinorin a) that infects the red blood cells of frogs and is transmitted by mos quitoes. MAb 1209 recognized both refractile bodies of sporozoites of L. minima, using the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) technique and immunoelectron microscopy, and recognized antigens with relative rate s of migration (M(r)) of 17, 23, 26, 43, and 48 kDa on a chemiluminesc ent western blot of L. minima sporozoite antigens. MAbs C(3)4F(1) and E12 demonstrated spotty cytoplasmic staining and labeling of the anter ior pellicle of L. minima sporozoites, respectively. Gamonts of H. cat esbianae labeled with only MAb E12, using IFA. These gamonts exhibited staining similar to that observed with the L. minima sporozoites. The presence of the cross-reactive epitopes recognized by these MAbs in t he same conserved locations suggests that these antigens are homologou s.