Dcw. Russo et al., MECHANISMS FOR THE ELIMINATION OF POTENTIALLY LYTIC COMPLEMENT-FIXINGVARIABLE SURFACE GLYCOPROTEIN ANTIBODY-COMPLEXES IN TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI, Parasitology research, 80(6), 1994, pp. 487-492
Live antibody-coated Trypanosoma brucei parasites remove variable surf
ace glycoprotein (VSG)antibody complexes from their surface upon warmi
ng to 37 degrees C and evade antibody-activated complement lysis by bo
th protein synthesis-dependent and protein synthesis-independent mecha
nisms. The protein synthesis-dependent process follows antibody-mediat
ed trypanosome agglutination, whereas the protein synthesis-independen
t mechanism can occur in the absence of trypanosome agglutination. The
latter process leads to a more rapid elimination of complement-fixing
VSG-antibody complexes.