Antigen fraction of Schistosoma mansoni eggs suitable for testing for schistosomiasis

Claim 2

A fraction of Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen specific to Schistosoma mansoni mature eggs, and which has the following properties: ______________________________________ Polyacrylamide gel R.F. 0.34 ± 0.01 Staining Protein (Coomassie Blue) + Carbohydrate (Periodic acid, Schiff reagent) + Lipid (Sudan Black) - Concanavalin A Binding Tightly Adsorbed CsCl Buoyant Density 1.43 ± .01 g/cc (homogeneous) MOLECULAR WEIGHT Gel Fitration 148,000 ± 5,000 Velocity Sedimentation 90-100,000 Polyacrylamide gel (R.F.) 50,000 (.50) Charge (Isoelectric Point) pH 3.514 4.5 ______________________________________ said fraction being suitable to detect Schistosomiasis.

Claim 3

A fraction according to claim 1, which is radioactively labeled.

Claim 4

A fraction according to claim 1, which is radioactively labeled with 125 I.

Claim 5

A fraction of Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen which has the following approximate properties: ______________________________________ Polyacrylamide gel R.F. 0.48 ± 0.01 Staining Protein (Coomassie Blue) + Carbohydrate (Periodic acid, Schiff reagent) - Lipid (Sudan Black) - Concanavalin A Binding Loosely adsorbed or not adsorbed at all CsCl Buoyant Density 1.53 g/cc.sup.2 MOLECULAR WEIGHT Gel Filtration 80,000 ± 5,00 Velocity Sedimentation 40,000 Polyacrylamide gel (R.F.) 69,000 (.33) ______________________________________ said fraction being suitable to detect Schistosomiasis.

Claim 6

A fraction of Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen which has the following approximate properties: ______________________________________ Polyacrylamide gel R.F. 0.48 ± 0.01 Staining Protein (Coomassie Blue) + Carbohydrate (Periodic acid, Schiff reagent) - Lipid (Sudan Black) - Concanavalin A Binding Loosely adsorbed or not adsorbed at all CsCl Buoyant Density 1.53 g/cc.sup.2 MOLECULAR WEIGHT Gel Filtration 80,000 ± 5,00 Velocity Sedimentation 40,000 Polyacrylamide gel (R.F.) 69,000 (.33) ______________________________________ said fraction being suitable to detect Schistosomiasis.

Claim 7

A fraction of Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen which has the following approximate properties: ______________________________________ Predominant Occasionally Polyacrylamide gel R.F. species observed species ______________________________________ Staining 0.22 ± .01 0.08 0.18 Protein (Coomassie Blue) + + + Carbohydrate (Per- iodic acid, Schiff reagent) + + + Lipid + + + Concanavalin A Binding Loosely adsorbed CsCl Buoyant Density Heterogeneous N.D. N.D. (1.51-1.37) MOLECULAR WEIGHT Gel Filtration 450,000±8,000 N.D. N.D. Velocity Sedimenta- tion 200,000 N.D. N.D. Polyacrylamide gel (R.F.) 200,000 N.D. N.D. ______________________________________ said fraction being suitable to detect Schistosomiasis.

Claim 8

A fraction of Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen which has the following approximate properties: ______________________________________ Predominant Occasionally Polyacrylamide gel R.F. species observed species ______________________________________ Staining 0.22 ± .01 0.08 0.18 Protein (Coomassie Blue) + + + Carbohydrate (Per- iodic acid, Schiff reagent) + + + Lipid + + + Concanavalin A Binding Loosely adsorbed CsCl Buoyant Density Heterogeneous N.D. N.D. (1.51-1.37) MOLECULAR WEIGHT Gel Filtration 450,000±8,000 N.D. N.D. Velocity Sedimenta- tion 200,000 N.D. N.D. Polyacrylamide gel (R.F.) 200,000 N.D. N.D. ______________________________________ said fraction being suitable to detect Schistosomiasis.

Claim 9

The process for fractionating Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen comprising grinding Schistosoma mansoni eggs in water to form a solution thereof, subjecting said solution to affinity chromatography and eluting to form a third fraction which was most lightly held, a second fraction which was less lightly held and a first fraction which was strongly held, and purifying at least said first fraction, said first fraction containing antigens as defined in claim 1 specific to Schistosoma mansoni mature eggs.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6, wherein said affinity chromatography is effected on a galactan, elution of said first fraction is effected by at least one of α-methyl mannoside or α-methyl glucoside, and including the further step of radioactively labeling said first fraction.

Claim 11

The process of claim 7, wherein the radioactive labeling is effected with 125 I.

Claim 12

The process of claim 6, wherein purification of at least the first fraction is effected by ion exchange chromatography using a salt eluant, any third fraction material present being most lightly held, any second fraction material present being less lightly held, and the first fraction material being most strongly held.

Claim 13

The process of claim 8, wherein purification of at least the first fraction is effected by ion exchange chromatography using a salt eluant, any third fraction material present being most lightly held, any second fraction material being less lightly held, and the first fraction material being most strongly held, and further including desalting said first fraction at some stage subsequent to radioactive labeling to remove at least part of any salts introduced during said radioactive labeling.

Claim 14

A process for determining the presence of antibodies to mature schistosome eggs in a patient's serum comprising mixing said serum with a radioactively labeled fraction produced by the process of claim 7, separating any precipitate which forms, and measuring the radioactivity of said precipitate, the level of radioactivity being an index of the amount of antibodies to mature schistosome eggs in said serum.

Claim 15

A process for determining the presence of antibodies to mature Schistosoma mansoni eggs in a patient's serum comprising mixing said serum with a radioactively labeled fraction according to claim 2, separating any precipitate which forms, and measuring the radioactivity of said precipitate, the level of radioactivity being an index of the amount of antibodies to Schistosoma mansoni eggs in said serum.