STUDIES OF THE IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES TO FILARIAL INFECTIONS

这个项目的目的是确定体液和细胞 与免疫病理学、保护性 淋巴丝虫病患者免疫状况及免疫诊断 和盘尾丝虫病。 IgG亚类的抗体似乎与 具有班氏丝虫病的临床表现; 象皮病患者具有显著的抗丝虫IgG 3 抗体和最小的IgG 4反应，而相反的是真实的 无症状感染者。 这些IgG 4抗体 似乎是“阻断抗体”负责抑制 IgE介导的速发型超敏反应的体外和体内研究 它们也被证明是有用的诊断。 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 通过免疫荧光法（MBP）和ELISA法在液体中用单克隆抗体 抗体的 患有班氏丝虫病或盘尾丝虫病的人群已被 检查以确定区分 “自然”免疫受感染的人。 一种43 kD蛋白质形式 感染性幼虫似乎是潜在的保护性免疫原， 班氏丝虫病，并正在制作特异性探针。 增强的T细胞对寄生虫抗原的反应性是最重要的标志。 明确区分脓毒症免疫个体和 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.