Isolation and immunological analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi glycolipids.

A water-soluble glycolipidic fraction from Trypanosoma cruzi was isolated using a mixture of hexane and isopropanol. Analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, after staining by silver and Sudan Black B, showed that the fraction contained one band with a relatively high mobility. Its reactivity and specificity with human chagasic sera and T. cruzi infected mouse sera or with sera from patients with several other pathologies was determined by an immunoradiometric assay. The glycolipid-based radioimmunoassay for the detection of T. cruzi antigens provided a sensitive measure of its activity. However, cross-reactivity with several sera from patients with visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis was detected.