Protein and antigenic composition of adult and microfilarial stages of Setaria cervi.

The protein and antigenic pattern of adult (female/male) and microfilarial stages of Setaria cervi, a bovine filarial parasite, was studied using certain immunochemical techniques. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis showed the presence of 35-40 protein bands in adults and 25-29 protein bands in microfilariae in molecular weight range of 10,000-200,000. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed the presence of 9-10 precipitin lines in adult and only 4 precipitin lines in microfilarial antigenic preparations. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis resolved these antigenic preparations further, and revealed the presence of 22-24 antigens in adults and 12-14 in microfilariae. These results demonstrate complex nature of somatic extracts of adult stage as compared to microfilariae and also reveal some qualitative and quantitative differences between these stages.