旋毛虫の成虫抗原に関する研究

Abstract

A zoonotic nematoda, Trichinella spiralis, has three distinct developmental stages including muscle larva, adult, and newborn larva. The aim of this study was to define antigenic substances in adult worms of the parasite, and to assess specificity of the antigens by means of immunoelectron microscopy, which would be essential not only for developing better immunodiagnostic antigen but also for understanding of the basic issue of protective immunity. The methods included : 1) preparation of adult worms for ultrathin sections ; 2) immunostaining with sera from patients with trichinosis to localize antigenic substances in adult worms ; 3) immunostaining with sera from other parasite infections to assess specificity of the antigens ; and 4) observation under an electron microscope. Control experiments were performed to confirm specificity by immunostaining. Subcellular structures that were positive by immunostaining with patients' sera included hypodermis, hemolymph, hypodermal gland, brush border, intersperm substances, exocrine granules of male genital tract, microvilli of ova and fetus cytoplasm. cuticle inner layers were weakly positive. The surface of cuticle and stichocyte granules were negative by immunostaining. The class of the corresponding immunoglobulin was predominantly G. These adult antigens were devoid of prominent species specificity because the above-mentioned structures were more or less immunostained by sera from other helminthiasis patients including paragonimiasis, cysticercosis, fascioliasis, trichuriasis, dirofilariasis and anisakiasis.