Interaction of monoclonal antibodies with cuticular antigens of filarial parasites, Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been prepared against excretory-secretory-metabolic (ESM) antigens of microfilariae (mf) of Wuchereria bancrofti (WbmfESM) and against third stage larvae (L3) of Brugia malayi (BmL3), and purified from ascites fluids with ammonium sulphate. Both antibodies were of the IgM type and did not react with phosphorylcholine. The mAb against BmL3 (F46) reacted in ELISA with antigens of L3 of B. malayi, B. pahangi and W. bancrofti and of adults of B. malayi. The mAb raised against wbmfESM (F32) resembled F46 in this respect, though with a lower titer towards the antigens, and in addition reacted with the ESM-antigens of mf and of L3 of W. bancrofti. F46 was able to detect L3 antigens of filarial parasites in spiked serum samples with a detection limit of 8–16 ng in absolute amount. The antibody was found to label the cuticular portion of L3 and adults of the lymphatic parasites, and not the epicuticular surface, in immunoelectron microscopic studies. The antibody recognized a 36 kDa component of the β-mercaptoethanol extracts of B. pahangi-adults in Western blot analysis.