Title: Expression of different filarial parasite adult stage antigens during course of DEC treatment in mouse model of Brugian filariasis

Authors: Mohammad A. Khan, M. Saleemuddin, Puvadda K. Murthy

Addresses: Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, 94304, California, USA. ' Department Biotechnology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202 002, UP, India. ' Department of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226 001, UP, India

Abstract: Filariasis is a tropical disease with high morbidity rate due to lack of permanent cure. Here, we investigated specific filarial parasite antigens useful in treatment strategies for filariasis in areas where the chances of constant stimulations are at high peak. This study highlighted alterations in antigen recognition in the people living in endemic countries and receiving the orthodox treatments with diethylcarbamazine. We found that reinfection with L₃ stage in pre-DEC treated mouse sera recognises 62 kDa, 45 kDa and 32 kDa antigens, which was not present in control animal sera. Further investigation shows that 62 kDa antigen was present in microfilaria while 45 kDa and 31 kDa was part of adult stage. These findings demonstrated that reinfection during the course of DEC treatment unmask specific parasite antigen, which do not express during initial stage of infections. Our findings argued that mapping of these new antigens would be helpful in the development of treatment strategies through appropriate vaccine.

Keywords: Brugia malayi; microfilaria; L3; reinfection; diethylcarbamazine treatment; Brugian filariasis; parasite antigens; tropical diseases; vaccines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIS.2011.041725

International Journal of Immunological Studies, 2011 Vol.1 No.3, pp.272 - 284

Published online: 30 Dec 2014 *