Localization of antigenic molecules of adult Fasciola gigantica using monoclonal antibodies against the parasite tegumental antigen.

ABSTRACT

In this study, monoclonal antibodies were developed from the partially purified surface tegumental antigens of F. gigantica. Nine MoAbs 2G11, 1G2, 1B12, 2G2, 2G5, 3C6, 3G2, 3G3 and 3F6 were used for anatomical localization of adult F. gigantica. The reaction was demonstrated by Avidin-Biotin method. The results revealed that among the sections stained with non-immune sera and control group, there were no reaction products on either the tegument or the cecal epithelium. The only brownish areas were the vitelline glands. In the sections stained with immune sera, brownish reaction products appeared on the surface membrane, the spine membrane, the cecal lumen and its epithelial cells. The experiment sections of nine monoclonal antibodies revealed that the reaction occurred mainly on the tegument of the adult worm which covered its surface and spine.