Immunohistochemical localization of excretory/secretory antigens in adult Ancylostoma caninum using monoclonal antibodies and infected human sera.

Human eosinophilic enteritis (EE) may result from hypersensitivity to the excretory/secretory (ES) antigens of adult Ancylostoma caninum. The origin of several antigens were identified by probing adult A. caninum with mouse monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs), sera from mice vaccinated with ES antigens and sera from human EE patients. Six MoAbs (AC/ES 1-6) were produced against ES antigens, two being IgG3 and four IgM. Western blots demonstrated four different antigen specificities: MoAb AC/ES 1 bound strongly to an ES product at about 30 kDa; AC/ES 2 recognized a broad band ranging from 50-200 kDa; AC/ES 3, AC/ES 5 and AC/ES 6 reacted at about 68 kDa, and AC/ES 4 at about 97 kDa. Sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded adult A. caninum were then incubated with these MoAbs and immunostained by the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) technique. The target epitope of MoAb AC/ES 1 was found mainly in the oesophageal, amphidial and excretory glands; AC/ES 2 reacted weakly with many structures in the sections; AC/ES 3, AC/ES 5 and AC/ES 6 were specific for excretory glands only, and AC/ES 4 bound to amphidial glands. Sera from immunized mice reacted with all three (especially the excretory) glands and the cuticle. In an indirect assay, worm sections probes with three human EE patient sera demonstrated maximal staining in the amphidial glands. Our findings confirm that ES products of A. caninum include immunogenic glandular secretions which may be involved in the pathogenesis of human EE.