STUDIES OF THE IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES TO FILARIAL INFECTIONS

这个项目的目的是定义体液免疫和细胞免疫。 与免疫诊断、免疫病理学和保护性有关的反应 淋巴丝虫病、丝虫病和丝虫病患者的免疫功能 热带病。 基于IgG4抗体检测的丝虫感染血清学检测 极大地增强了特异性，因为IgG4亚类是“受限的” 通过识别常见的表位，如磷胆碱 寄生和其他感染性生物体的成分。这样的IgG4 尽管反应强烈，但反应需要6-9个月的时间 免疫刺激。对新专利或专利前的诊断测试 盘尾丝虫病的感染是使用一种纯化的重组 16kD蛋白(OV-16)。 组织病理学和血清学证据表明嗜酸性粒细胞及其 颗粒蛋白是后处理反应的主要决定因素 见于盘尾丝虫病和淋巴丝虫病；IL-5似乎是 嗜酸性粒细胞反应的主要决定因素。 患有班氏丝虫病或盘尾丝虫病的人群 检查以确定免疫参数，以区分“自然 来自感染个体的免疫。来自感染幼虫的43kD蛋白 这可能是从W.bancrofti克隆的保护性免疫原。 表达文库，该基因正在进行测序。类似的研究在 盘尾丝虫病也识别了差异识别的分子， 它们正在被提纯。

The purpose of this project is to define the humoral and cellular immune responses that relate to immunodiagnosis, immunopathology and protective immunity in patients with lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and loiasis. Serologic assays for filarial infection based on IgG4 antibody detection have greatly enhanced specificity because the IgG4 subclass is 'restricted' from recognizing epitopes such as phosphocholine that are common constituents of parasitic and other infectious organisms. Such IgG4 responses have been shown to take 6-9 months to develop despite strong immune stimulation. A diagnosistic test for new or pre-patent onchocerciasis infections has been developed using a purified recombinant 16 kD protein (OV-16). Histopathologic and serologic evidence implicates the eosinophil and its granule proteins as a primary determinant of the posttreatment reactions seen in onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis; IL-5 appears to be the primary determinant of eosinophil responses. Populations with bancroftian filariasis or onchocerciasis have been examined to define immunologic parameters that distinguish "naturally immune" from infected individuals. A 43kD protein from infective larvae that may be a protective immunogen has been cloned from a W. bancrofti expression library, and the gene is being sequenced. Similar studies in onchocerciasis have also identified differentially recognized molecules, that are being purified.