Surface antigens of a filarial nematode: analysis of adult Brugia pahangi surface components and their use in monoclonal antibody production.

The surface antigens of adult worms of the filarial nematode Brugia pahangi have been investigated further by surface radioiodination and detergent solubilisation techniques. In addition to yielding new information on the distribution of antigenic components of this stage, detergent-solubilised molecules were used in both radiometric and enzyme-linked assays for human and mouse antibody. These assays were subsequently used in screening for monoclonal antibodies from hybrid cells derived from animals infected with living parasites and boosted with detergent-extracted antigen. Three monoclonal antibody-producing cell lines were isolated, with differing antigenic specificities: Bp-1, which binds a non-iodinatable antigen with high ELISA activity; Bp-2, which reacts with a determinant found on but not unique to the major surface Iodogen-labelled 29 kDa antigen; and Bp-3, which is specific for a minor antigen of 20 kDa revealed by Iodogen labelling.