Hybridoma antibody characterization of stage-specific and stage-cross-reactive antigens of Eimeria tenella.

Hybridoma antibodies (HAb) have been raised against the sporozoite stage of 3 species of avian coccidia. These HAb were utilized in Western blot analysis, resulting in the immunoenzymatic detection of sporozoite and merozoite antigens of 1 species, Eimeria tenella. The 5 HAb specific for the sporozoite stage showed either single bands at 22 and 28 kDa or a large diffuse band in the 7-10-kDa range. The 4 HAb that cross-reacted with both asexual stages recognized either a single sporozoite or merozoite antigen of 90 kDa, or multiple antigens (47-69 kDa) for both stages. The 9 HAb demonstrated 5 different immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) patterns, and the 4 cross-reactive HAb showed similar IFA patterns with both asexual stages of E. tenella. The sporozoite-specific HAb which identified the 22, 7-10, and 7-8 kDa antigens showed surface, surface-internal, or internal IFA patterns. The other sporozoite-specific HAb, which labeled the 28-kDa antigen, stained the refractile body. The IFA of the 4 stage-cross-reactive HAb, which recognized the 45-60-kDa and the 90- or 47-69-kDa antigens, localized these antigens to the surface and tip, respectively. Rabbit anti-sporozoite serum appeared to recognize all of the sporozoite and merozoite antigens identified by the HAb as well as a variety of additional stage-cross-reactive antigens.