Detection of antibodies against the African parasite Trypanosoma brucei using synthetic glycosylphosphatidylinositol oligosaccharide fragments
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Author (Corporation)
Publication date
24.06.2025
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Type
01A - Journal article
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Parent work
Glycoconjugate Journal
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
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Series
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Volume
42
Issue / Number
Pages / Duration
147-158
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Publisher / Publishing institution
Springer
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Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) parasites cause two major infectious diseases in Africa: African trypanosomiasis in humans (HAT) and Nagana in animals. Despite the enormous economic and social impact, vaccines and reliable diagnostic measures are still lacking for these diseases. The main obstacle to developing accurate diagnostic methods and an active vaccine is the parasite’s ability for antigenic variation, impairment of B cell maturation, and loss of B cell memory which collectively prevent the development of a long-lasting, effective immune response. The antigenic variation is sustained by random gene switching, segmental gene conversion, and altered glycosylation states of solvent-exposed regions of the corresponding variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs). These glycoproteins use a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor for attachment to the membrane. GPIs of T. brucei have specific branched structures that are further heterogeneously galactosylated. Here, we synthesized a glycan fragment library containing T. brucei GPIs’ most prominent structural features and performed an epitope mapping using mice and human sera of infected specimens using glycan microarrays. The studies indicate that in contrast to VSGs, T. brucei GPIs are recognized by infection-induced short-lived Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and long-lasting Immunoglobulin G (IgG), suggesting a specific immune response against GPI structures. These findings enable the development of diagnostic tests based on synthetic antigens for the reliable diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis and Nagana.
Keywords
Carbohydrate antigens, Diagnostics, GPI, Human african trypanosomiasis, Nagana, VSG
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ISBN
ISSN
0282-0080
1573-4986
1573-4986
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Hybrid
License
Citation
Michel, M., Stijlemans, B., Michel, D., Garg, M., Geissner, A., Seeberger, P. H., & Varon, D. (2025). Detection of antibodies against the African parasite Trypanosoma brucei using synthetic glycosylphosphatidylinositol oligosaccharide fragments. Glycoconjugate Journal, 42, 147–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10719-025-10186-x