• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.46-55
• /
• 1992

A systematic study was conducted to identify and isolate a serologically pertinent antigen with high specific activity and low cross reactivity from P.westermani antigen. Differential centrifugation of the homogenate yield three particulate and one soluble fractions ; the $480{\times}G$ pellet(Pw1), the $7650{\times}G$ pellet(Pw2) treated with n-butanol(Pw3), and $100000{\times}G$ supernatnat(Pw4). Comparison of antigenicity of these antigens, based upon differential centrifugation, to that of saline extract of P. westermani worm(SEP) was performed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot techniques. The results obtained were as follows : 1) The ratio of absorbance value of ELISA against paragonimiasis positive pool sera to that of negative sera was highest when using Pw3 as antigen and that was lowest using Pwl. 2) Silver stained and SDS-PAGE of each antigen showed 34 and 13Kd band as common antigen band, but Pw2 didn't show clear band. 3) By immunoblot 55 and 34Kd bands using SEP and Pw4 showed strong positive reaction without cross reaction with sera from other helmenthic infections. Using Pw3, 10Kd band was observed as specific band. In conclusion, Pw3($100000{\times}G$ pellet urea soluble, treated with n-butanol) and Pw4($100000{\times}G$ supernatant) were usable for ELISA and immunoblot technique.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 1986

To evaluate the immature eggs of Paragonimus westermani as a source of diagnostic antigen, about a million eggs which were excreted by 104 adult worms were collected; their saline extract(soluble egg antigen; PwSEA) was prepared. The specific IgG and IgM antibody levels were observed in experimental dog paragonimiasis by micro ESISA, using PwSEA as well as whole worm extract of 12 week-old P. westermani(PwWWE). The protein composition of the PwSEA was observed by disc-PAGE. The results could be summarized as follows: 1. Specific IgG antibody to PwSEA begant to increase on 8 weeks after the experimental infection; it maintained its high level until the observation period of 13 weeks. The levels of IgM antibody to PwSEA however, did not show any significant change. 2. Specific IgG antibody to PwWWE began to increase earlier from 2 weeks after the infection and continued to increase until the observation period of 13 weeks. Its level was much higher than that to PwSEA. Specific IgM antibody to PwWWE increased temporarily during 2-8 weeks after the infection. 3. By disc-PAGE, PwSEA showed 2 protein bands of very low motility. The bands of PwSEA corresponded to the frist and second bands in the electrophoretic pattern of PwWWE of the 12 week-old worms. The above results indicated that the PwSEA induced antibody production in dog paragonimiasis, but its antigenicity was weaker than PwWWE to be used as a diagnostic antigen.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.185-190
• /
• 1996

The TH cytokine responses of spleen cells stimulated with Con A from mice infected with Polasonimw westemcni were examined. The spleen cell culture supema- tants were assayed for TH1-specific $IFN-{\gamma}$ and TH2-specific IL-4. Cytokine responses for IL-4 peaked at three days ($410{\;}{\pm}{\;}60.9{\;}pg/ml$), persisted at a high level until the second week ($343{\;}{\pm}{\;}59.0{\;}pg/ml$), and then decreased slowly four and six weeks after infection. $IFN-{\gamma}$ production by splenocytes only increased during the first week ($151{\;}{\pm}{\;}32.3{\;}pg/ml$) and declined abruptly after the second week of infection. IFN- y production by splenocytes of infected mice was not observed during the sixth week of infection. In addition, serum IL-4 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ were measured. Serum IL-4 was not detected in substantial quantity until four to six weeks after infection. The time course of serum IL-4 was not correlated with that of IL-4 production by splenocytes. Serum $IFN-{\gamma}$ was undetectable during the entire course of infection. These results suggest that TH2 cytokine responses, rather than TH1, predominate in mice infected with P. westemcni.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.257-264
• /
• 1983

In order to obtain more specific antigenic preparation for the diagnosis of human paragonlmiasis, crude saline extract of whole worm (=PwWWE), secretory.excretory components (PwSEC) and secretion-excretion-free somatic extract (PwSM) of 12 week-old ParagoninBus westermani were filtrated through Sephadex G-200 gel column. The adult Paragonimus worms were obtained from expevimentally infected doge. A total of 11 antigenic solutions was Iyophilised or diluted to adjust protein content of 1mg/ml. To evaluate the antigenicity of crude antigens and fractions, micro-ELISA was done with the sera from P westermani in(ected cases, C. sinensis infected cases and non-infected control cases to detect Paragonimus specific IgG antibody. The results were as follows: 1. When the PwWWE was filtrated through Sephadex G-200 gel, it was separated into three fractions; PwWWE Fr. 1, PwWWE Fr. 2 and PwWWE Fr. 3. The percentage of protein content was 28.0%, 21.6% and 50.4% respectively. The PwSM was also. separated into three fractions; PwSM Fr. 1, PwSM Fr. 2, PwSM Fr. 3. and their percentage of protein content was 41.3%, 38.6% and 20.1%. However, the PwSEC showed different fractionation pattern; i.e. fraction 1 (=PwSEC Fr.1) and 3 (PwSEC Fr. 3) without fraction 2. The percentage of protein content was 14.0% in PwSEC Fr. 1 and 86.0% in PwSEC Fr. 3. 2. When the antigenicity of each Paragonimus crude antigen and fractionated antigen was evaluated for specific IgG aritibody by micro-ELISA in 10 human paragonimiasis sera, PwSEC Fr, 1 was the most potent antigen showing the mean absorbance 1.98. The PwWWE Fr. 1, PwSEC, PwWWE were next to that: their mean absorbance were 1.72, 1.38 and 0.83 respectively. The antigenicity of fractions 2 and 3 was much weaker in binding specific IgG antibody. 3. When the antigens were reacted in micro-ELISA with 10 human clonorchiasis sera, most antigens showed weak reactivity. Each fraction 1 of crude antigens reacted higher than other fractions or crude antigens; the mean absorbance was 0.17 in fraction 1, but in others the absorbances were about 0.06. 4. With non-infected control sera, the result of micro-RLISA revealed almost same pattern with those of the clonorchiasis sera. From the above results, it became apparent that PwWWE Fr. 1, especially PwSEC Fr. 1 was the most potent antigen reacted with Paragonisfaus specific IgG antibody.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.9-14
• /
• 1989

Enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) using crude worm antigen of adult Paragonimus westermani was performed for human patients sera to identify the species-specific components. Crude antigen was obtained by homogenizing and centrifuging 24-week old adult worms at 10,000 rpm for 60 minutes in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, PH 7.2) containing: Phenyl methyl sulfonyl auoride (PMSF). Gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) was performed and blotted electrophoretically onto a sheet of nitrocellulose paper. The sheet was cut into strips and exposed to sera diluted 1 : 200 with PBS. SDS-PAGE showed 26 protein bands ranging 229 to 10 kDa. Of them 229, 91, 60, 50, 35∼31, 27, 25, 21, 17, 11 and 10 kDa components showed positive reaction with serum antibody of patients with p. westermani. Sera of patients infected with Clcnorchis sinensis reacted with 35∼31, 19, and 11 kDa bands. Human sera from cysticercosis and diphyllobothriasis cases showed non-specific cross reactions with 229, 35∼31, 27, 25 and 17kDa bands. Protein bands of 91, 60, 21 and 10kDa showed strong positive reaction without cross reactions with sera from other helminthic infections.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.141-148
• /
• 1987

Circulating antigens in rats experimentally infected with Paragonimus westermani were examined by ELISA. From a total of 22 albino rats, each fed with 25 metacercariae, blood samples were collected until 12 weeks after infection. The specific antibodies against P. westermani in the serum of an infected cat were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE anion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography serially. So-called double antibody sandwich ELISA method was used for the detection of circulating antigens. The results were as follows: Mean value of O.D. in control sera was O. 04 (S.D.=0. 04). After infection, mean O.D.(S.D.) values were changed serially: 0.03(0.01) at 0.5 week(3 days), 0.55(0.50) at 1 week, 0.69(0.45) at 1.5 week, O.20 (0.19) at 2 weeks and O.13(0.10) at 2.5 weeks of infection. They returned, thereafter, to the level before infection. When O. 16 (mean+3 S.D.) were considered as cut-off value, those higher than O. 16 were observed only in the sera collected between 1 and 2.5 weeks after infection. Average 8. 4 immature worms (2.2 from the lungs and pleural cavities; 6.2 from muscles) were recovered in a rat at 12 weeks after infection. The fact that circulating antigens were not detected after 3 weeks of infection was considered to the caused by the formation of antigen-antibady complexs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.259-264
• /
• 1997

This study was carried out to determine whether dermal mast cell responses to Parasoninn westemoni in an abnormal host, the mouse, were dependent on the site of metacercarial inoculation. In mice during subcutaneous infection, the number of der- mal mast cells were increased significantly (p<0.05) at the first week ($38.3/\textrm{mm}^2$) and then persisted at a high level until the sixth week ($45.2/\textrm{mm}^2$) of infection compared with PBS- injected (control) mice (range: $19.4-25.1/\textrm{mm}^2$). In mice during oral infection, the number of dermal mast cells were increased significantly (p<0.05) at two weeks ($33.5/\textrm{mm}^2$) after infection and remained at these levels thereafter compared loth non-infected (control) mice (range: $17.4-22.3/\textrm{mm}^2$). In mice both during subcutaneous and oral infection, the recruited dermal mast cells showed extensive degranulation at the second week (68.4%) and 60.7%, respectivelyl, reached a peak at the third week (81.4%, and 92.1%, respectively) and then declined slightly thereafter. By contrast, in both control mice, about 10% of dermal mast cells were degranulated. In conclusion, this study suggests that dermal mast cell responses to p. westemcni in mice are dependent on cutaneous sensitization by larval excretory-secretory antigens, irrespective of infection route.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 1997

It is generally accepted that parasite-specific IgE plays a crucial role in host defense against helminthic parasites. However, the role of high levels of nonspecific IgE in helminthic infections is still controversial. To investigate the role of nonspecific IgE in primary infections with P. westemani the effect of anti-lgE mAb treatment on serum IgE, $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ expression and worm burden in Parcgonimus-infected mice were examined. In mice treated with anti-lgE antibody, the total IgE levels were not detectable ($1{\;}{\mu\textrm{g}/ml}$) throughout the experiment compared with untreated infected mice. The mean percentages of $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ positive splenic B cells in anti-lgE treated mice (ridge: 20.3 - 30.5) were also decreased throughout the experiment compared with untreated infected mice (range: 35.7-44.4). Reduction of the total IgE and expression of $Fc{\varepsilon}RII/CD23$ on splenic B cells resulted in decreased worm burden six weeks post infection. These results suggest that high levels of nonspecific IgE in mice with primary infections of P. westemnni play a harmful, rather than beneficial, role for the host, perhaps by interfering with CD23-dependent cellular pathways.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.139-142
• /
• 1997

Cleaving host immunoglobulins is a well known mechanism of evading host immune reactions exploited by helminth parasites, Secreted cysteine proteases of helminth are a part of enzymes cleaving host IgG. Porogonimw westemani produces at least six different species of the cysteine protease in its developmental stages. This study was undertaken to evaluate comparatively the activities against human IgG by the different enzymes. When the metacercariae, which secrete 27 and 28 kDa cysteine proteases, were incubated in human IgG solution, IgG was degraded at its hinge region. Further incubation resulted complete hydrolysis. From 4-week and 7-week old juveniles and 16-week old adults of p. westemani, five different enzymes at 15, 17. 27 28 and 53 kDa have been purified, if the enzyme with the same molecular mass is regarded to be identical. In cleaving human IgG, each cysteine protease exhibited decreasing activities with age.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.24-36
• /
• 1987

The effect of praziquantel on P. westermani exposed in vitro was observed by stereomicroscope, light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Following results were found. 1. The worms incubated in $0.01{\;}{\mu}g/ml$ praziquantel were moving after 26-hour incubation. However, all of them were immobilized immediately after incubation in solutions over $0.01{\;}{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. 2. All of the exposed worms showed severe vacuolization not only in tegument but in subtegument, intestine, ovary, testis, Mehlis' gland and excretory bladder. 3. Vacuoles in tegument burst out to form craters. As incubation time went on, tegumental structure was disintegrated severely. The worms exposed to praziquantel were observed to be immobilized and be vacuolized of all tissues. Disintegration of reproductive organs suggests that praziquantel have suppressive effect on egg production when the flukes are not killed. The drug effects were found more related with incubation time than with drug concentration.