Antigenic Characterization of Embryo Stage of Setaria Cervi

Filariasis is a serious health hazard affecting millions of people in tropical and subtropical regions of developing countries including India. The specific diagnosis and control measures are essential for effective management of the disease. It has been shown earlier that the excretorysecretory products of filarial parasitescontain diagnostically important embryo antigens; therefore, it would be important to identify and characterize the embryo stage antigens having potential for serodiagnosis of human filariasis. In the present study efforts were made to analyse the protein and antigenic pattern of embryo stage of Setaria cervi, the bovine filarial parasite. The S. cervi embryos (ScEmb) were isolated by dissecting adult female worms and purified using Percoll gradient. The SDSPolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed15-18 protein bands in S. cervi embryo somatic extract in molecular weight range of 6.5 – 200 kDa. The polyclonal antibodies produced against S. cervi embryo showed significantly high reactivity with ScEmbantigens as well aswith antigens fromadult and microfilarialstages. The 10-14 protein bandsof S. cervi embryo were recognized by anti-ScEmb polyclonal antibodies in immunoblotting.These studies revealed some qualitative and quantitative differences among the antigenic pattern of three stage of S.cervi.The S.cervi embryos exhibited high reactivity with antibodies present in filarial patients’ serathereby suggesting the presence of some antigens common/cross-reactive with human filarial parasite. The protein bands of 60 kDa, 45 kDa, 29 kDa and 27 kDa of S. cervi embryo stage were recognized by filarial patients serum pool and may have diagnostic utility in human lymphatic filariasis Manuscript received January 10, 2016; revised June 2