Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies were raised against Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi, which recently has been characterized as a new species. BALB/c mice were immunized with membrane-enriched fractions of a mixture of L. (V.) naiffi isolates. Subsequent fusion of immunized splenocytes with NS-1 myeloma cells resulted in the production of 5 Mabs (N1-N5). Screening by ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence against an extensive cross-panel of Leishmania strains revealed that N3 was species-specific and could thus be used to identify L. (V.) naiffi. N2 and N5 reacted only with strains of L. (V.) naiffi and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, and therefore could be used in conjunction with N3 to identify L. (V.) braziliensis parasites. These species-specific Mabs will therefore be useful additions to the panel of antibodies already available for the identification of Leishmania species. N1 and N4 were found to recognize a small, glycosylated molecule present on all L. (V.) naiffi and L. (V.) braziliensis isolates that is related to the GIPL family of membrane glycophospholipids previously described for Leishmania (Leishmania) major.
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