Further characterization of filarial antigens by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of an antigen isolated from sera of Wuchereria bancrofti-infected patients and Setaria digitata antigen SD2-4 is reported. Both antigens showed carbohydrate (glycoprotein) staining. The W. bancrofti antigen had an apparent relative molecular mass of 35 000 while the S. digitata antigen SD2-4 migrated at the marker dye position on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. SDS treatment of these antigens did not abolish the precipitation reaction with antibody. In the case of W. bancrofti antigen, SDS treatment probably exposed hitherto hidden antigen epitopes.