Trypanosoma brucei Specific Neutra™ Antibody Products
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Are you currently facing challenges in parasite detection due to T. brucei's Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) antigenic variation, struggling with low parasitemia for diagnosis, or seeking high-quality reagents for drug screening assays? Our T. brucei Specific Neutra™ Antibody Products help you overcome these detection and research hurdles, obtaining specific and reliable results through highly characterized antibody clones targeting key parasite antigens.
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Introduction of T. brucei
Trypanosoma brucei causes Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) in humans and Nagana in livestock, transmitted by the tsetse fly. The parasite is unique because it lives extracellularly in the mammalian bloodstream. Its survival depends on the Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) coat, composed of dense VSG homodimers anchored by a GPI anchor. To evade the host immune response, T. brucei employs Antigenic Variation: it continually switches the expression of the VSG gene from a large archive. This cyclical switching results in chronic, fluctuating parasitemia and leads to Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement if untreated, posing significant challenges for non-VSG-dependent diagnostics and therapeutics.
Fig.1 Immune response against Trypanosoma brucei.1
Antibodies Against T. brucei
Antibodies targeting T. brucei are vital for research and diagnosis, moving beyond the variable VSG coat to focus on other key antigens. Our Neutra™ Antibodies offer broad utility and high specificity, developed against three critical parasite components:
Key Antibody Targets and Applications:
- VSG-Targeting Antibodies: Specific monoclonal antibodies are used to study antigenic variation, monitor in vitro switching, and isolate specific parasite clones. They are fundamental for immunofluorescence and functional assays.
- Procyclin-Targeting Antibodies: Procyclin is the major surface antigen of the procyclic form (tsetse fly midgut stage). These antibodies are vital for studying parasite differentiation, distinguishing life cycle stages in culture, and serving as a reliable marker for drug screening assays.
- Invariant Antigen/Glycan-Targeting Antibodies: Efforts focus on targeting conserved structures like the GPI anchor core. These antibodies recognize epitopes common across VSG expressers, enabling novel diagnostic methods with improved reliability and specificity across different strains. They also aid in investigating fundamental cell biology.
Our validation process ensures the antibodies provide the specificity and sensitivity required for complex trypanosome research.
Why Choose Us?
Creative Biolabs is dedicated to providing high-caliber reagents for neglected tropical disease research, leveraging over years of specialized experience. Choosing our T. brucei Specific Neutra™ Antibody Products means partnering with specialists to overcome detection challenges.
Our Core Advantages and Unique Features:
- Exceptional Specificity: We prioritize antibodies against stable antigens (Procyclin, GPI-anchored components) to circumvent VSG antigenic variation.
- Broad Application Versatility: Antibodies are validated for critical applications including ELISA, WB, IF, and FC, ensuring seamless workflow integration.
- Rigorous Quality Control: Each lot undergoes stringent multi-point validation, guaranteeing consistency and reproducibility.
- Proven Success: Our reagents have a track record of reliability in parasitology research, supported by published data.
- Deep Scientific Support: Our expert team offers consultation to optimize the antibody solution for your unique research questions.
FAQs
Q: How can I ensure broad strain detection despite antigenic variation?
A: Target invariant, conserved epitopes like the Procyclin coat or GPI anchor structure. Validate the antibody against multiple field isolates to ensure maximal breadth.
Q: How do these antibodies help address low parasitemia in diagnosis?
A: Antibody-based diagnostics pivot to detecting the host's immune response or soluble parasite antigens shed into the bloodstream. High-affinity capture or detection assays (e.g., lateral flow) can reliably detect trace amounts, improving diagnostic sensitivity, especially in chronic disease.
Q: How can I distinguish between the bloodstream and procyclic forms?
A: Utilize antibodies specifically targeting Procyclins, the major surface antigen of the procyclic form, since the bloodstream form expresses VSG. This allows for unambiguous identification of the procyclic stage for differentiation studies or drug screening.
Q: What is the primary advantage of antibody assays over molecular methods (like PCR)?
A: Immunoassays offer advantages in terms of speed, cost-effectiveness, and throughput for large-scale screening and field-based use. They are also superior for detecting the functional presence of an antigen or the host's humoral response, serving as an effective complementary tool to molecular methods.
Q: What technical precautions are key for IFA of surface antigens?
A: Use non-permeabilizing fixation to visualize surface antigens specifically. Perform labeling and washing quickly and often at low temperatures to minimize endocytosis and ensure accurate localization results.
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REFERENCE
- Battistoni, Olivia et al. "Understanding Sex-biases in Kinetoplastid Infections: Leishmaniasis and Trypanosomiasis." Expert reviews in molecular medicine vol. 27 e7. 9 Jan. 2025, Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification. https://doi.org/10.1017/erm.2024.41
