Immunization of mice with surface antigens from the muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis.

Surface antigens of muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis were stripped from the cuticle of live worms by the cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Such antigen preparations were shown to contain surface antigens of approximate molecular weights 100,000, 90,000, 69,000, 55,000, 46,000 and 35,000. Immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that the surface of muscle larvae share antigenic epitopes with antigens contained within and secreted by the stichosome. CTAB antigen preparations were shown to be protective in NIH mice against a challenge infection as assessed by reduction in intestinal worm burden, worm fecundity, worm length and muscle larvae burden. The role of surface antigens in protective immunity to T. spiralis is discussed.