Abstract
Sawada et al. (1962) reported that the antigen TCA obtained from adult worms (Dirofilaria immities) by the treatment of phosphate buffer, centrifugation and trichlor acetic acid produced noticeable reactions on the filariasis patients who were demonstrating microfilariae in their blood. The further fractionation and purification of this antigen to study the substance reponsible for the skin reaction and to obtain the more reliable antigen with high sentitivity and specificity was attempted.
The fraction FS obtained by the similar treatment to Sawada et al. was used as parent material. By the gel-filtration on sephadex G-100 column chromatography of antigen FS, antigen FS1 which produced noticeable reactions on the filariasis patients was obtained.
The highly reactive antigen FS1 was separated into 6 fractions FSC1, FSC2, FSC3, FSC4, FSC5 and FSC6 by CM cellulose chromatography. The 6 antigens were tested at the 1γ (protein component) level on patients infected with Wuchreria bancrofti. Antigen FSC4, containing 1, 500γ of protein and 40γ of carbohydrate per ml, was most active. Then the further fractionation of antigen FSC4 by DEAE sephadex A50 column chromatography was conducted to yield 4 antigens FSCD1, FSCD2, FSCD3 and FSCD4. The 4 antigens were tested at the 0.05γ (protein component) level on the filariasis patients. Antigen FSCD1 produced the most noticeable skin reaction on the patients.
The elimination of protein components from antigen FSCD1 was attempted with nagarse and pronase to obtain antigens FSCDN and FSCDP. Each of the 2 antigens was tested on the proved patients with filariasis, but the reaction produced by the injection of each antigen was lesser than that produced by antigen FSCD1.
It may be said that the substance responsible for the skin reaction seems to be protein, although the further studies are required.
