Antigenic Analysis of Entamoeba histolytica by Means of Fluorescent Antibody. IV. Relationships of Two Strains of E. histolytica and One of E. hartmanni Demonstrated by Cross-Absorption Techniques

Abstract

Antiserum was prepared against E. histolytica K9, E. histolytica Huff, and E. hartmanni 335. After being tagged with fluorescein, portions of each antiserum were treated with large numbers of homologous and heterologous amebae in order to adsorb out specific antibodies. The resulting treated antisera were then reacted with each of the ameba strains under conditions that permitted quantitative evaluation of the staining results. These experiments demonstrated that the two E. hiatolytica strains did not remove specific antibody from E. hartmanni antisera. although they did remove specific antibody from E. histolytica antisera. The converse was also true. Finally, there was evidence that E. histolytica K9 shared some antigens with E. histolytica Huff, but possessed others which were not shared.