STUDIES OF THE IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES TO FILARIAL INFECTIONS

这个项目的目的是定义体液和细胞 与免疫病理学有关的免疫反应，保护性 淋巴丝虫病患者的免疫及免疫诊断 和盘尾丝虫病。 免疫球蛋白亚类的抗体表现出不同的相关性 具有班氏丝虫病的临床表现； 象皮病患者有明显的IgG3抗丝虫病 抗体和最小的IgG4反应，反之亦然 对于那些无症状感染的人。这些IgG4抗体 似乎是“封闭抗体”负责抑制 免疫球蛋白介导的即刻超敏反应的体外和体内研究 而且它们在诊断上也被证明是有用的。 嗜酸性粒细胞颗粒蛋白MBP和ECP在 蠕虫感染的发病机制，现在可以在组织中定义 免疫荧光法(MBP)和单抗夹心ELISA法 抗体。 患有班氏丝虫病或盘尾丝虫病的人群 检查以定义免疫学参数，以区分 对感染者具有天然的免疫力。43kD的蛋白质形式 感染性幼虫似乎是一种潜在的保护性免疫原 班克罗夫斯坦丝虫病，并正在产生特定的探针。 T细胞对寄生虫抗原的反应性增强是最重要的标志 明确区分假定免疫的个体和那些 患有明显的盘尾丝虫病。

The purpose of this project is to define the humoral and cellular immune responses that relate to immunopathology, protective immunity and immunodiagnosis of patients with lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. Antibodies of the IgG subclasses appear differentially associated with the clinical manifestations of bancroftian filariasis; patients with elephantiasis have prominent IgG3 antifilarial antibodies and minimal IgG4 responses while the opposite is true for those with asymptomatic infection. These IgG4 antibodies appear to be the "blocking antibodies" responsible for inhibiting IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity response in vitro and in vivo, and they have also proven to be useful diagnostically. The eosinophil granule proteins MBP and ECP, important in the pathogenesis of helminth infections, can now be defined in tissues by immunofluorescence (MBP) and in fluids by ELISA with monoclonal antibodies. Populations with bancroftian filariasis or onchocerciasis have been examined to define immunologic parameters that distinguish "naturally" immune from infected individuals. A 43kD protein form infective larvae appears as a potential protective immunogen for bancroftian filariasis, and specific probes are being generated. Enhanced T-cell reactivity to parasite antigen was the marker most clearly distinguishing putatively immune individuals from those with overt onchocerciasis.