A panel of antigens of muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis and T-pseudospiralis as revealed by two-dimensional Western blot and immunoelectron microscopy

This study characterized antigens of Trichinella spiralis and T. pseudospir alis muscle larvae recognized by mice infected with the worms. Two-dimensio nal (2-D) Western blot analysis revealed some profile of antigenic peptides including: (1) molecular weight (MW); (2) isoelectric points (pI), (3) rea ctivity to well-defined monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and (4) cross-reactivit y between the 2 species. Antigenic peptides of T. spiralis consisted of abo ut 100 spots. The MW ranged from 22 to 80 kDa, and pI ranged from 4 to 7. T he mAb against TSL-1 stained most of the T. spiralis excretory-secretory (E -S) peptides migrating at 40, 45 and 50 kDa, and the mAb against TSL-4 stai ned non-E-S peptides. Antigenic peptides of T. pseudospiralis consisted of about 20 to 30 peptide spots. The MW ranged from 25 to 80 kDa, and pi range d from 4 to 7. The mAb against TSL-1 stained most of the T. pseudospiralis E-S peptides migrating at 35 and 45 kDa, and the mAb against TSL-4 stained non-E-S peptides. Two-dimensional Western blots showed that the E-S product s of T. spiralis and T. pseudospiralis were highly cross-reactive with each other. The non-E-S peptides were, however, not recognized by T. pseudospir alis-infected sera but were recognized by T. spiralis-infected sera. An imm unoelectron microscopical study showed the similar result that stichocyte g ranules and cuticle surface (known to contain E-S antigen) had cross-reacti ve antigens between the two species. T. pseudospiralis-infected sera staine d very weakly the cuticle inner layers and haemolymph (known to contain non -E-S antigen). This evidence implies that mice infected with T. pseudospira lis do not evoke antibodies against non-E-S antigen at the detectable level .