Antigenic heterogeneity of metacyclic forms of trypanosoma brucei

ABSTRACT AFRICAN trypanosomiasis is a relapsing disease chiefly affecting man and his domestic stock. The infected mammal mounts a protective, trypanolytic immune response to the

trypanosome's surface antigen, but a few parasites have already undergone antigenic variation by that time1. Parasitaemic remissions and recrudescences occur as a seemingly

inexhaustible series of surface variable antigen types (VATs) are expressed randomly by the flagellate2,3. Reversion of the trypanosome population to a ‘basic’ antigen type at the end of its

cyclical development in ithe tsetse fly's salivary glands has been suggested4–6. Prospects of vaccination, and of early serodiagnosis of trypanosomiasis, would be greatly improved by

use of such a basic VAT. Specific immunofluorescence and immune lysis tests now make possible the identification of the VAT of individual trypanosomes1. We have applied these techniques to

metacyclic trypanosomes. Our results show that VAT heterogeneity is present in the metacyclic population. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription

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ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS GLYCOSYLATION OF _TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI_ TCI

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SURFACE GLYCOPROTEIN 65 OF _TRYPANOSOMA BRUCEI_ IS A COMPLEMENT C3 RECEPTOR Article Open access 29 August 2022 REFERENCES * Van Meirvenne, N., Janssens, P. G. & Magnus, E. _Ann. Soc.

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Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK DOMINIQUE LE RAY, J. DAVID BARRY & KEITH

VICKERMAN * Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine Prince Leopold, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000, Antwerpen, Belgium DOMINIQUE LE RAY Authors * DOMINIQUE LE RAY View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * J. DAVID BARRY View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * KEITH

VICKERMAN View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE RAY, D.,

BARRY, J. & VICKERMAN, K. Antigenic heterogeneity of metacyclic forms of _Trypanosoma brucei_. _Nature_ 273, 300–302 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/273300a0 Download citation *

Received: 03 June 1977 * Accepted: 31 March 1978 * Issue Date: 25 May 1978 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/273300a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to

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