Identification and intra-specific variability analysis of secreted and membrane bound proteins from Echinococcus granulosus

MARA CECILIA ROSENZVIT; CAMICIA, F.; KAMENETZKY, L.; MUZULIN, P.; GUTIERREZ, A.

PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

Elsevier

Año: 2006 vol. 55 p. 1 - 1

1383-5769

Echinococcus granulosus, the etiological agent of cystic hydatid disease, existsas a series of strains or genotypes, differing in biological features. Many ofthe secreted and membrane-bound proteins (S/M) from helminth parasites areinvolved in the host-parasite interplay and constitute potential targets fordiagnosis, anti-parasitic drugs and vaccines. A number of E. granulosus S/Mproteins were identified using the signal sequence trap technique. Six out ofseven cDNA fragments of these newly identified proteins showed nucleotide andamino acid sequence variation. Inter-strain variation was reported for othercharacterized S/M proteins as the vaccine target EG95 and the major hydatid cystfluid antigen, Antigen B (AgB). AgB is highly polymorphic, 101 differentsequences related to AgB were reported so far and were grouped in 5 genes(EgB1-EgB5) and one pseudogene (EgB2p) exclusive of G5, G6/G7 genotypes. Thesignificance of AgB polymorphism and possible consequences in diagnosticperformance are discussed. The diagnostic value of the new protein variantsdetected in E. granulosus strains could be determined through standardizedinter-laboratory studies as the recently done by the South American Network forHydatid Serology.