Identification of immuno-reactive adult Angiostrongylus vasorum proteins using mass spectrometry

Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2011 Nov;180(1):56-61. doi: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2011.07.009. Epub 2011 Aug 4.

Abstract

Angiostrongylus vasorum is an emerging parasite of dogs and related carnivores throughout western Europe and presents a biosecurity threat to many countries worldwide. Infections are difficult to diagnose due to a high variability of clinical signs and can be fatal if left untreated. Previous attempts to develop indirect ELISA as a diagnostic test for antibody presence in dogs have been limited by cross-reactive recognition of antibodies to other endemic nematodes. This study compared the immuno-dominant soluble somatic proteins for first stage, third stage and adult A. vasorum using Western blotting. 2D electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were further used to identify specific immuno-dominant proteins (n=14) within the soluble fraction from whole adult worms. Proteins included an aspartyl protease inhibitor, representing a potential candidate for a recombinant-based ELISA and novel vaccine.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiostrongylus / chemistry*
  • Angiostrongylus / genetics
  • Angiostrongylus / growth & development
  • Angiostrongylus / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Helminth / chemistry*
  • Antigens, Helminth / genetics
  • Antigens, Helminth / immunology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Dog Diseases / parasitology*
  • Dogs
  • Helminth Proteins / chemistry*
  • Helminth Proteins / genetics
  • Helminth Proteins / immunology
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Strongylida Infections / parasitology
  • Strongylida Infections / veterinary*

Substances

  • Antigens, Helminth
  • Helminth Proteins