This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gross, U. Articles by Ferguson, D. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gross, U. Articles by Ferguson, D. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, 09 1995, 542-548, Vol 2, No. 5
Copyright © 1995 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Monoclonal rat antibodies directed against Toxoplasma gondii suitable for studying tachyzoite-bradyzoite interconversion in vivo

U Gross, H Bormuth, C Gaissmaier, C Dittrich, V Krenn, W Bohne and DJ Ferguson
Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Wurzburg, Germany.

We previously reported the in vitro analysis of stage differentiation of Toxoplasma gondii in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. The purpose of this study was to generate monoclonal rat antibodies that might be suitable for investigating tachyzoite-bradyzoite interconversion in vivo with the murine model. Immunization of Fischer rats with cysts of T. gondii NTE resulted in the generation of seven monoclonal antibodies of the immunoglobulin G2a, G2b, or M isotype, which were further characterized by the immunoblot technique, immunofluorescence assay, immunohistology, and immunoelectron microscopy. Immunoblots demonstrated specific reactivity of five monoclonal antibodies with proteins with molecular masses of 40, 52, 55, 60, 64, 65, and 115 kDa. One antibody (CC2) appeared to recognize a differently expressed antigen depending on the parasite stage, reacting with a 40-kDa molecule in tachyzoites and a 115-kDa antigen in bradyzoites and oocysts. Several other monoclonal antibodies were shown to be stage specific and to react in immunofluorescence assays or in immunoblots with either tachyzoites or bradyzoites. Kinetics of stage conversion in vitro could be monitored by immunofluorescence with two of these monoclonal antibodies. Preliminary immunohistological investigations of tissue sections from infected mice demonstrated the possible usefulness of these monoclonal antibodies for future in vivo studies on stage differentiation of T. gondii in the murine system.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Keller, N., Riesen, M., Naguleswaran, A., Vonlaufen, N., Stettler, R., Leepin, A., Wastling, J. M., Hemphill, A. (2004). Identification and Characterization of a Neospora caninum Microneme-Associated Protein (NcMIC4) That Exhibits Unique Lactose-Binding Properties. Infect. Immun. 72: 4791-4800 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vonlaufen, N., Guetg, N., Naguleswaran, A., Muller, N., Bjorkman, C., Schares, G., von Blumroeder, D., Ellis, J., Hemphill, A. (2004). In Vitro Induction of Neospora caninum Bradyzoites in Vero Cells Reveals Differential Antigen Expression, Localization, and Host-Cell Recognition of Tachyzoites and Bradyzoites. Infect. Immun. 72: 576-583 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Keller, N., Naguleswaran, A., Cannas, A., Vonlaufen, N., Bienz, M., Bjorkman, C., Bohne, W., Hemphill, A. (2002). Identification of a Neospora caninum Microneme Protein (NcMIC1) Which Interacts with Sulfated Host Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans. Infect. Immun. 70: 3187-3198 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Zhang, Y. W., Halonen, S. K., Ma, Y. F., Wittner, M., Weiss, L. M. (2001). Initial Characterization of CST1, a Toxoplasma gondii Cyst Wall Glycoprotein. Infect. Immun. 69: 501-507 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yap, G. S., Scharton-Kersten, T., Ferguson, D. J. P., Howe, D., Suzuki, Y., Sher, A. (1998). Partially Protective Vaccination Permits the Development of Latency in a Normally Virulent Strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Infect. Immun. 66: 4382-4388 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dubey, J. P., Lindsay, D. S., Speer, C. A. (1998). Structures of Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites, Bradyzoites, and Sporozoites and Biology and Development of Tissue Cysts. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 11: 267-299 [Abstract] [Full Text]