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Cryptosporidium; Glycolipid antigen from Cryptosporidium parvum characterized

Posted on: Thursday, 12 February 2004, 06:00 CST

2004 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have characterized a low molecular weight glycolipid antigen from Cryptosporidium parvum.

According to a study from the United States and Scotland, "Cryptosporidium parvum, an Apicomplexan parasite of the mammalian gut epithelium, causes a diarrheal illness in a wide range of hosts and is transmitted by contamination of food or water with oocyst- laden feces from an infected animal. We have identified a glycosyl- inositol phospholipid from the sporozoite stage of the parasite that is frequently recognized by serum antibodies from human cryptosporidiosis patients. The humoral immune response is dominated by IgG(1) subclass antibodies but can also include IgA and IgM antibodies."

"The glycosylinositol phospholipids were purified by butanol extraction of a Triton X-114-soluble fraction followed by octyl- Sepharose column chromatography and preparative high performance TLC and were shown to include at least five species," said Jeffrey W. Priest and collaborators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Arizona in the U.S. and at University of Dundee in Scotland. "By using mass spectrometry and radiolabeled neutral glycan analysis, we found that the structure of the dominant glycosylinositol phospholipid antigen contained a C18:0 lyso-acylglycerol, a C16:0-acylated inositol, and an unsubstituted mannose(3)-glucosamine glycan core."

"Other diacyl species were also identified, most notably a series of glycosylinositol phospholipids having an acyl-linked C20:0 to C28:0 lipid on the inositol ring," reported Priest and his colleagues. "Less abundant species having three acyl-linked fatty acids and species with an additional 1-3 hexoses linked to the mannose core were also observed. We are currently working to determine the role that these glycolipids may play in the development of disease and in the clearance of infection."

Priest and his coauthors published the results of their research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry (Characterization of a low molecular weight glycolipid antigen from Cryptosporidium parvum. J Biol Chem, 2003;278(52):52212-52222).

For additional information, contact Jeffrey W. Priest, Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. E-mail: jpriest@cdc.gov.

The publisher of the Journal of Biological Chemistry can be contacted at: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Inc., 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3996, USA.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Cryptosporidium, Gastroenterology, Parasitology, Food- Borne Illness, Immunology, and Proteomics.

This article was prepared by Gastroenterology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2004, Gastroenterology Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.

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