CELLULAR AND HUMORAL RESPONSES TO ANTIGENIC SUBUNITS OF ECHINOCOCCUS-GRANULOSUS CYST FLUID IN HYDATID PATIENTS

The hydatid fluid antigenic subunits which stimulate the proliferative response of T cells in PBMC isolated by hydatid patients were identif ied. In the same subjects, the serum IgG antibody profiles were determ ined by immunoblotting to compare T cell activation and Ige production . The study was carried out on 18 patients with clinically and serolog ically diagnosed hydatidosis and on ten healthy blood donors. To asses s the proliferative response to the different antigenic subunits, shee p hydatid fluid was separated by the SDS-PAGE and the fractions were b lotted onto nitrocellulose and solubilized. The comparison between imm unoblotting and PBMC proliferation assay, shows that the 55 and 65 kDa subunits of antigen 5 and the 12 kDa subunit of antigen B are the mos t reactive subunits in the two techniques. The 16 and 20 kDa subunits of antigen B are more reactive in PBMC proliferation assay than in imm unoblotting, thus assigning a specific role to antigen B in cellular r esponse.