Cross-reacting surface antigens on Leishmania promastigotes

Three strains of Leishmania donovani from America, India and Kenya and a strain of Leishmania mexicana were grown in culture as promastigotes. The parasites werw surface labelled by lactoperoxide-catalysed iodination and the surface proteins analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The four strains possessed surface proteins of similar mol.wts. including a 59,000 mol.wt. glycoprotein. Immune-precipitation using rabbit anti-Leishmania sera revealed that the 59,000 mol.wt. protein and other proteins on the surfaces of the promastigotes cross-reacted antigenically. Common surface antigens on the four strains was also shown by immunofluorescence studies using the rabbit anti-Leishmania sera and monoclonal antibodies raised against one of the strains. © 1983 Australian Society for Parasitology.