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Protection studies with integral membrane fractions of Haemonchus contortus
Author(s) -
SMITH W. D.,
SMITH S. K.,
MURRAY J. M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3024.1994.tb00345.x
Subject(s) - haemonchus contortus , biology , antigen , parasite hosting , antibody , glycoprotein , immunization , membrane glycoproteins , immune system , immunology , helminths , microbiology and biotechnology , computer science , world wide web
SUMMARY Techniques for targetting glycoproteins integral to the luminal membrane of the intestinal cells of Haemonchus contortus were used to isolate fractions of whole parasites with protective antigen potential. Sheep immunization trials with various candidate fractions revealed one which selectively bound to lectins with specificity for N‐acetylgalactosamine and which reduced mean challenge worm burdens by up to 72% and mean faecal egg counts by up to 93%. The luminal surface of the intestines of the Haemonchus recovered from sheep immunized with this antigen were coated with host immunoglobulin, suggesting that the protective effect was due to antibodies interfering with the function of the gut. Further biochemical characterization of this fraction, which has been termed Haemonchus galactose‐containing glycoprotein complex (H‐gal‐GP complex), showed that it could be distinguished from previously described protective antigens of this parasite and that it was only detectable in detergent extracts of the worms.