Moretti E R, Basso B, Vottero-Cima E
J Protozool. 1985 Feb;32(1):150-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1985.tb03029.x.
Exoantigens of Trypanosoma cruzi were produced in experimentally infected BALB/c mice. The exoantigens were detected by the counterimmunoelectrophoresis method (CIE), with antisera raised in rabbits by immunization with total homogenates of culture forms of T. cruzi, in plasma from infected animals obtained by centrifugation and filtration. Control experiments indicated that exoantigens are not somatic components of T. cruzi leaked during the preparative procedure. Exoantigens were detected in male and female mice, 11-90 days old, between 6 and 60 days of infection, and in all mice with patent parasitemia. After 13 days of infection, mice developed antibodies to exoantigens; by CIE up to three populations of antibodies were revealed in different groups of animals. In mice between 13 and 60 days of infection, the coexistence of exoantigens and homologous antibodies was also observed. The exoantigens are not strain specific since a cross reactivity between antigens from three strains of T. cruzi (Tulahuén, Higueras, and Alejandro) was seen. Finally, the presence of antibodies to exoantigens in humans with chronic Chagas' disease was demonstrated.
克氏锥虫外抗原是在经实验感染的BALB/c小鼠体内产生的。采用对流免疫电泳法（CIE）检测外抗原，所用抗血清是用克氏锥虫培养形式的全匀浆对家兔进行免疫制备的，检测对象是通过离心和过滤从感染动物获得的血浆。对照实验表明，外抗原并非在制备过程中泄漏的克氏锥虫体细胞成分。在11至90日龄、感染6至60天的雄性和雌性小鼠以及所有有明显寄生虫血症的小鼠中均检测到外抗原。感染13天后，小鼠产生了针对外抗原的抗体；通过CIE在不同组动物中发现了多达三类抗体。在感染13至60天的小鼠中，还观察到外抗原与同源抗体共存。外抗原不具有菌株特异性，因为在克氏锥虫的三个菌株（图拉韦恩、希格拉斯和亚历杭德罗）的抗原之间观察到了交叉反应。最后，证实了慢性恰加斯病患者体内存在针对外抗原的抗体。
