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Persistence of antibodies against epitopes encoded by a single gene copy of the Babesia bovis merozoite surface antigen 1 (MSA-1).
Title | Persistence of antibodies against epitopes encoded by a single gene copy of the Babesia bovis merozoite surface antigen 1 (MSA-1). |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Authors | McElwain, TF, Hines, SA, Palmer, GH |
Journal | J Parasitol |
Volume | 84 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | 449-52 |
Date Published | 1998 Apr |
ISSN | 0022-3395 |
Keywords | Animals, Antibodies, Protozoan, Antigens, Surface, Babesia bovis, Babesiosis, Carrier State, Cattle, Cattle Diseases, Chromatography, Affinity, Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Epitopes, Merozoite Surface Protein 1, Protein Precursors, Protozoan Proteins, Recombinant Proteins |
Abstract | The Babesia bovis merozoite surface antigen-1 (MSA-1) is an immunodominant, neutralization-sensitive merozoite surface antigen encoded by a polymorphic gene family. MSA-1 antigenic polymorphism results in a complete lack of immunologic cross-reactivity among strains. It is unknown how rapidly this antigenic shift occurs, or whether it evolves in the mammalian host. To determine whether the dominant epitopes encoded by a single msa-1 gene copy vary during the course of a single infection, the antibody response to these epitopes was measured after infection of cattle with the Mo7 biologically cloned strain of B. bovis using an Mo7 gene copy-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies against MSA-1 encoded by this gene copy were detected by postinoculation (PI) day 15 in each of 5 experimentally infected animals. Importantly, detectable antibody persisted in all carrier animals without a significant decrease in optical density through 12 mo PI, at which time the experiment was terminated. The results indicate that immunodominant epitopes expressed by a single gene copy of msa-1 do not undergo marked antigenic shift typical of the gene family during the course of a single infection in the mammalian host. The results are compatible with the limited MSA-1 polymorphism reported in some geographically defined endemic populations. |
Alternate Journal | J. Parasitol. |
PubMed ID | 9576525 |