Trypanosoma cruzi proteins which are antigenic during human infections are located in defined regions of the parasite.

Polyclonal antibodies obtained against antigenic proteins encoded by six recombinant DNA clones of Trypanosoma cruzi were used for the ultrastructural localization of the respective antigens in thin sections of parasites (epimastigote, amastigote and trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi) embedded at low temperature in Lowicryl K4M resin. Antigens of high molecular weight containing tandemly repeated amino acid sequence motifs and recognized by sera from patients with Chagas' disease, were located only in the flagellum, where it contacts the parasite cell body. Other antigens were located on the surface of the parasite while still others were found within the flagellar pocket, as is the case with an antigen released during the acute phase of Chagas' disease. Thus, we conclude that some of the T. cruzi proteins which are antigenic in human infections are located in defined regions of the parasite. Some of the antigens were not expressed to the same extent in the three different developmental stages of the parasite.