Reactivity in ELISA and dot blot of purified GP24, an immunodominant antigen of Taenia solium, for the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis.

In this paper we report the purification of GP24, one of the seven specific and highly antigenic Taenia solium glycoproteins previously identified by Western blot (WB) with serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and saliva samples from patients with neurocysticercosis (NC). GP24 was purified and evaluated in ELISA and dot blot for diagnosis. A lentil-lectin-bound glycoprotein fraction (LL-GP) from T. solium cysticerci was submitted to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the band that corresponded to GP24 was sliced, minced and electroeluted; an aliquot was used to immunize a rabbit, and the antiserum obtained was analysed by WB against LL-GP fraction; only GP24 was detected. ELISA and dot blot were performed with purified GP24 and serum and CSF samples from patients with NC that were previously positive for GP24 in WB and control samples; the latter were negative, while all NC samples were positive. To test for specificity, purified GP24 was incubated in dot blot against 44 sera from patients with other parasitic diseases; no positive reactions were found. Results indicate that GP24 was adequately purified and retained its reactivity; thus in combination with ELISA or dot blot may facilitate immunodiagnosis of NC.