[Immunoblotting in the study of the antigenic structure of Leishmania]

Using immunoblotting, the antigenic structure of 6 Leishmania strains has been studied: 1) MHOM/IN/80/DDS--Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani; 2) MHOM/SU/63/VL--L. sp. ZMA; 3) MHOM/SU/73/K-27--L. tropica; 4) MHOM/SU/73/5Ash--L. major; 5) MHOM/GE/84/H-132--L. mexicana amazonensis; 6) REPT/SU/83/3960-GC--L. (Sauroleishmania) gymnodactyli. Antigens of Leishmania surface membranes and rabbit antisera against them have been used. Among the agents of leishmaniasis in the Old World (1-4), the most intensive antigenic lines were found in the medium and high-molecular mass area (43-200 kD). In L. (L) mexican a amazonensis (5) species-specific lines have been identified in 10-22 kD area, which is indicative of considerable antigenic differences in Leishmania of the Old and New Worlds. The most marked antigenic differences from other types were noted in L. (S) gymnodactyli (6). It was characterized by the absence of antigenic bands in the medium and high molecular mass areas, the lines associated with species-specific determinants located in the low molecular mass area (18 and 25 kD). The results of cross-reacting c-ELISA using the same antigens and antisera correlated well with the above data of immunoblotting. Immunoblotting may be used for identification of species-specific antigenic structures which may be helpful in serological tests for more accurate leishmania identification and leishmaniasis diagnosis.