Preparation and initial application of monoclonal antibodies that recognize Eimeria tenella microneme proteins 1 and 2.

Microneme proteins (MICs) of Eimeria species are critical for motility of the parasite, identification and binding of host cell-surface proteins, invasion of host cells, and intracellular survival. The microneme protein 1 (EtMIC1) and 2 (EtMIC2) from Eimeria tenella have a putative function in parasite adhesion to the host cell to initiate an invasion process. Previous studies indicated that the EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 proteins form a complex that play roles during attachment to and penetration of the host cell. Numerous studies demonstrated that both the EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 are important microneme proteins which are abundantly expressed in sporozoites and schizogony stages. But the expression of EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 in the gametogony stage is unknown. To investigate the precise roles of EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 in host-parasite interactions and expressions in the gametogony stage of E. tenella, we generated five mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which recognize the EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 proteins and investigated expressions of EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 proteins in later endogenous developmental stages, particularly focused on the gametogony phase using the specific anti-EtMIC1 and anti-EtMIC2 MAbs produced in this work. Our results showed that both EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 proteins are expressed in all developmental stages including the gametogony stage. To our knowledge, this is the first report that the EtMIC1 and EtMIC2 proteins are expressed in the gametogony stage of E. tenella.