Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.3 (collagenase)
 18,340 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Using ELISA, we studied excreted-secreted (ES) antigens of adults O. volvulus obtained from nodules digested by collagenase and kept alive in vitro. It seems that only the female worms produce these antigens. They probably have a much higher specificity than somatic antigens (male or female worms extracts): a comparison was made in a study of 163 heterologous sera by ELISA. With this new sort of antigen the onchocerciasis serology seems to have a specificity not achieved until now. Its diagnosis value was studied with 61 proved onchocerciasis sera and 177 sera from people living in endemic areas. The percentages of positivity are 79 and 52 p. 100 respectively; the micro-ELISA is particularly advantageous for studying large numbers of sera and for seroepidemiology. We also compared the results obtained by the immunofluorescent antibody test using male and female O. volvulus and female D. viteae frozen sections. No significant differences were found in the study of these 3 antigens that have many non-specific fractions as all somatic antigens do.
 ...
PMID:[Serodiagnosis of onchocerciasis by micro-ELISA using homologous somatic and metabolic antigens (excreted-secreted). Comparison with indirect immunofluorescence]. 675 43

An Onchocerca volvulus expression library was differentially screened to identify a molecular marker distinguishing sowda (lichenified onchodermatitis) from other onchocerciasis forms. One clone, PG3, was recognized by pooled sera from patients with sowda, but not by pooled sera from patients with generalized onchocerciasis; it was not recognized by sera from patients with lymphatic filariasis or other helminth infections. The DNA of PG3 hybridized strongly with O. volvulus Eco RI-digested DNA, but not with DNA from Brugia spp., Trichinella spp., and humans. A weak reaction was observed with DNA from O. gibsoni and Acanthocheilonema viteae. The PG3 DNA sequence showed a high homology with both human and nematode collagens. Confirmation of the collagen-like nature of the sowda-specific PG3 product was obtained by amino terminal sequencing of the PG3 expression product, as well as by demonstrating its susceptibility to collagenase digestion. The characteristic recognition of the O. volvulus collagen specified by clone PG3 was confirmed by measuring antibody levels to the expressed product in individual sowda and generalized onchocerciasis sera, respectively. Identification of a nematode collagen antigen mainly recognized in sowda patients raises the possibility that this extreme form of dermatitis might arise through cross-reactivity between anti-O. volvulus collagen antibodies and human collagen. However, a relationship between the PG3 recognition by antibodies and the sowda pathogenesis could not be demonstrated.
 ...
PMID:Identification of Onchocerca volvulus collagen as an antigen mainly recognized by antibodies in chronic hyper-reactive onchodermatitis (sowda). 864 4


<< Previous 1 2