Trichomonas vaginalis recombinant antigens

Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic single-celled organism, is the main cause of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease that affects both men and women. This disease can lead to a number of genitourinary tract problems, including occasional discomfort, and inflammation, and in pregnant women, it can even lead to premature labor and low birth weight babies. In addition, trichomoniasis is associated with an increased risk of cancer and infertility.
Diagnosis of trichomoniasis usually involves several main methods: microscopy of samples, PCR, or serodiagnosis. Two critical trichomonad antigens involved in the immune response are α-actinin and AP-33, antibodies to which begin to appear on days 6-7 after infection and can be detected after another 7 days.
AP-33 is an adhesion protein unique to T. vaginalis. It boasts a high degree of homology between different parasite genotypes. Given the prevalence of antibodies to it among seropositive individuals and its robust immunogenic properties, AP-33 stands out as an excellent antigen in serodiagnosis.
Another important protein in T. vaginalis is α-actinin. It mainly contributes to the motility of the pathogen. Detection of IgG antibodies to α-actinin in infected individuals is also a reliable diagnostic criterion. Patients with trichomoniasis usually produce these antibodies, which are not found in uninfected people. Importantly, the natural α-actinin protein of T. vaginalis is different from its human homolog.
Our company has mastered the production of recombinant α-actinin and an analog of AP-33. Both antigens are produced through the E. coli expression system. These proteins serve as important tools for the accurate serological diagnosis of trichomoniasis, providing additional information in an integrated approach to diagnosis.