Identification of some Immunogenic Proteins of <i>Taenia saginata</i>/Cysticercosis and Confirmation of Observed Immunogenic Complexes Using Serum from Rabbit Inoculated with Cysts Immunogens

Abstract

Botswana has recorded and maintained high prevalence of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis. Major economic losses arise from detained or  condemned beef from carcasses infected with bovine cysticercosis, because such meat cannot be exported to the European Union,  Botswana’s most lucrative market. For over three decades, the government of Botswana had emphasized traditional prevention and  control methods without achieving decline in incidence/prevalence of bovine cysticercosis. Vaccines and vaccination have shown to be  efficient in prevention and control of bovine cysticercosis. Following an earlier profiling of Taenia saginata/cysticercosis proteins using  one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), this study identified immunogenic proteins  (epitopes). Transblotted PVDF membranes were treated with polyclonal primary antibody of bovine origin and Rabbit anti-Bovine IgG  (H+L) Secondary Antibody HRP. Immunogenic proteins were confirmed to be specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis when observed in  freshly transblotted membrane that had been treated with serum obtained from rabbit inoculated with cysts immunogens containing  antibodies specific for Taenia saginata/cysticercosis and Goat anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) Secondary Antibody Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP).  Eight (8) immunogenic proteins ranging from 14 to 245kDa were identified. Chilling of samples did not cause significant decrease (p  <0.05) in samples’protein quantity although, immunogenic proteins were lost after 7 days of chilling. Further purification and  characterization of these identified 8 immunogenic proteins are recommended as these are essential inputs in vaccine and ante-mortem  test kit development.