STUDIES ON ANTIGENS OF ACANTHAMOEBA
| Project/Area Number |
08670291
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
寄生虫学(含医用動物学)
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| Research Institution | TOKAI UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
KANEDA Yoshimasa TOKAI UNIVERSITY,SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,PROFESSOR, 医学部, 教授 (60051471)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
OBAZAWA Hajime TOKAI UNIVERSITY,SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,PROFESSOR, 医学部, 教授 (80055904)
TACHIBANA Hiroshi TOKAI UNIVERSITY,SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, 医学部, 助教授 (10147168)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1997
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 1997)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
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| Keywords | Acanthamoeba / monoclonal antibodies / amebic keratitis / slot blot method / specific diagnosis / prevention / 角膜炎 / Slot-blotting法 / specific diagnosis / prevention / 診断法 |
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| Research Abstract |
Keratitis due to Acanthamoeba castellanii infections has been reported in contact lens wearers. The treatment of amebic keratitis is difficult and disappointing and corneal opacity has developed in many cases, occasionally leading to loss of vision. A specific diagnosis during the early clinical stages in the infection is very important for successful treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. However, identification of the ameba in patient specimens is difficult by morphological features alone. We therefore started to produce monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba for diagnostic use. We succeeded in producing 14 Mabs against Acanthamoeba, and characterized the reactivity of these Mabs. We evaluated reactivity by an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and by Western immunoblot analysis. Nine Mabs reacted specifically with a known pathogenic reference strain of A.castellanii, but not with a non-pathogenic strain or with other Acanthamoeba spp. The 9 Mabs recognized an antigen with a molecular mass of 17kDa. The remaining 5 Mabs reacted both with A.castellanii and A.polyphaga, members of group II (classified by Pussard & Pons) but not with members of group I or III.Western blot analysis revealed that these 5 Mabs exhibited many protein bands ranging in molecular weight from 30 to 150 kDa. These observations suggest that an antigen common to amebae designated as group II is present and that Mabs are available for use in the diagnosis of amebic keratitis. Furthermore, the detection of amebic organisms in suspected contact lens media is now possible by a slot blot method using the Mabs. This method should be helpful in the detection of keratitis-producin g strains of Acanthamoeba.
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Report
(3 results)
Research Products
(7 results)
