Korean J Parasitol.  2009 Jun;47(2):171-174. 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.2.171.

Ultrastructural Localization of Cryptosporidium parvum Antigen Using Human Patients Sera

• Lee JG
• Han ET
• Park WY
• Yu JR

• KMID: 1720628
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2009.47.2.171

Abstract

The antigen location of Cryptosporidium parvum, which stimulates antibody formation in humans and animals, was investigated using infected human sera. Immuno-electron microscopy revealed that antigenicity-inducing humoral immunity was located at various developmental stages of parasites, including asexual, sexual stages, and oocysts. The amount of antigen-stimulating IgG antibodies was particularly high on the oocyst wall. The sporozoite surface was shown to give stimulation on IgG and IgM antibody formation. Trophozoites implicated the lowest antigenicity to humoral immunity, both IgG and IgM, by showing the least amount of gold labeling. Immunogold labeling also provided clues that antigens were presented to the host-cell cytoplasm via feeder organelles and host-parasite junctions.

Keyword

Cryptosporidium parvum; cryptosporidiosis; immuno-electron microscopy; antigenicity; human serum

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan/*immunology
Antigens, Protozoan/*analysis
Cryptosporidium parvum/*chemistry/*immunology/ultrastructure
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin G/immunology
Immunoglobulin M/immunology
Mice
Microscopy, Immunoelectron
Sporozoites/chemistry/immunology/ultrastructure
Staining and Labeling/methods
Trophozoites/chemistry/immunology/ultrastructure