Identification of Immunoreactive Polypeptides in Haemonchus contortus by Immunoprecipitation during Prepatent Infection in Sheep

In the current study immunoreactive polypeptides in Adult Somatic Extract (ASE), Excretory Secretory Product (ESP) and Larval Somatic Extract (LSE) of L₃ stage were identified by employing immunoprecipitation, a lesser utilized technique on helminth parasites. Prepatent polyclonal sera were used to capture polypeptides in immunoprecipitation. Polypeptides eluted from the immune complex in ASE in SDS-PAGE were 26, 60, 120 & 170 kDa whereas in ESP these were 26, 32, 60 and 120 kDa showing absence of 170 kDa and presence of 32 kDa in ESP. In LSE the polypeptides captured were 26, 32, 60 & 120 kDa. Possible functional significance of the peptides in different antigens has been discussed and development of an immunoprophylactic agent has been speculated.