The Onchocerca volvulus cysteine proteinase inhibitor, Ov-CPI-2, is a target of protective antibody response that increases with age.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite considerable efforts, a suitable vaccine against Onchocerca volvulus infection has remained elusive. Herein, we report on the use of molecular tools to identify and characterize O. volvulus antigens that are possibly associated with the development of concomitant immunity in onchocerciasis.

Methodology/principal findings

Third-stage larvae (L3) and molting L3 (mL3) O. volvulus stage-specific cDNA libraries were screened with a pool of sera from chronically infected patients who had likely developed such immunity. The 87 immunoreactive clones isolated were grouped into 20 distinct proteins of which 12 had already been cloned and/or characterized before and 4 had been proven to be protective in a small O. volvulus animal model. One of these, onchocystatin (O

SUBMITTER: Cho-Ngwa F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2927424 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature