Localization of parasite antigens in Cryptosporidium parvum-infected epithelial cells using monoclonal antibodies.

An immunogold ultrastructural study was made of Cryptosporidium parvum-infected intestinal cells from SCID mice to locate parasite antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies raised against sporozoite or oocyst wall antigens. The results suggested that these antigens were present in more than one life-cycle stage and demonstrated that the intracellular parasite modified the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and villous membrane surrounding the parasite. In an immunofluorescence antibody test monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1B5 reacted with the oocyst wall, MAb 2C3 with the whole sporozoite and MAb 2B2 with the sporozoite surface. Western and dot-blot studies demonstrated that different carbohydrate epitopes were recognized by the respective sporozoite-reactive antibodies. In the ultrastructural examination MAb 1B5 reacted with macro- and microgametocytes as well as the oocyst wall. In the macrogametocyte MAb 1B5 recognized the large electron-dense bodies characteristic of this stage and, in some parasites, the parasitophorous vacuole and the parasite pellicle. The sporozoite-reactive MAbs were able to bind to all developmental stages. These antibodies recognized the parasite cytoplasm and, additionally, MAb 2B2 produced substantial labelling of the parasite membrane. Significantly, both these antibodies also detected antigen in the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and, to a lesser extent, the villous membrane surrounding the parasite.