Abstract
The unlabelled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used to study the immunocytochemical properties of Leishmania and Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes in situ after tissues had been submitted to different fixation procedures. Antisera were obtained from rabbits chronically infected with different strains of T. cruzi or immunized with L. mexicana amazonensis and L. braziliensis guyanensis, and were applied on 5 microns thick sections. T. cruzi antigens were well stained by the three anti-T. cruzi sera and the two anti-Leishmania sera at optimum dilution between 1:1,000 and 1:2,000, regardless the parasite strain. Differently, the leishmanial antigens were revealed by anti-Leishmania sera only at low dilutions (between 1:60-1:160), whereas the anti-T. cruzi sera, at these low dilutions, gave rather weak stainings. Although there is no clear explanation for this immunocytochemical "reverse-monodirectional" cross-reactivity between Leishmania and T. cruzi, the present results show that polyclonal antibodies agains Leishmania species, when used for immunocytochemical detection of these parasites in situ, react more strongly with T. cruzi amastigotes than with the homologous amastigotes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
