Production of monoclonal antibodies against partially purified surface tegument antigens of Fasciola gigantica.

ABSTRACT

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced by the in vitro fusion of Balb/C mice spleen cells immunized with partially purified surface tegument antigens of Fasciola gigantica. The surface membrane and tegument antigens were purified by using gel filtration chromatography. SDS-PAGE performed on the processed proteins demonstrated that the proteins had molecular weights of 20 to 97 kDa. In this study, fifteen monoclonal antibody clones were selected from the hybridoma clones, namely 1B7, 1B11, 1B12, 1C9, 1D4, 1G2, 1H7, 2B6, 2C3, 2C9, 2D11, 2F11, 2G2, 2G5, and 2G11. They were evaluated by immunoblot assay and were differentiated into two groups. In the first group were found 60 and 38 kDa proteins; in the second group were found 66, 60, and 38 kDa proteins. All were found to secrete IgM, kappa light-chain antibodies. These MAbs were tested for their cross-reactivity with other trematodes commonly found to infect cattle and man. All of these MAbs showed some degree of cross-reactivity with other trematode species.