dc.description.abstract |
Trypanosomes are hemo-flagellate protozoan parasites that cause disease in
humans and livestock called sleeping sickness and nagana, respectively. So
far, a vaccine has been elusive because of the immunodominant variant surface
glycoprotein (VSG) in a phenomenon known as antigenic variation. According
to amino acid domains structure, Tc38630 was assumed as a Trypanosoma
congolense orthologue of the T. brucei invariant surface glycoprotein (ISG)
therefore, a potential diagnostic antigen. Recombinant protein Tc38630 was
successfully expressed, characterized and found to be antigenic. Among other
serological tests, immunochromatographic test (ICT) has an advantage as a
one-step rapid analysis, thus making it a convenient and sensitive diagnostic
test .BALB/c mice were immunized with rTc38630 protein and serum was
collected for IgG polyclonal antibodies purification for use as control line in
ICT. The antigen-antibody reaction was detected by colloidal gold conjugated
rTc38630 protein at the test line. The ICT result was found to be consistent
with rTc38630 protein-based ELISA. For vaccine studies, five groups of
BALB/c mice, were randomized and assigned as recombinant protein,
recombinant GST, MCF homogenate, BSF homogenate and PBS andimmunized respectively. They were challenged with a lethal dose of T.
congolense. The recombinant protein did not protect the mice (survival
analysis, P=0.09) |
en_US |