Preliminary evaluation of the recombinant Sj14-3-3 protein as an immunodiagnostic antigen for schistosomiasis

Abstract

Exploring molecular targets for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis has been a key priority in Schistosoma japonicum research. In this study, the antigenicity of recombinant Sj14-3-3 protein (rSj14-3-3) was evaluated using sera from schistosome-infected subjects. rSj14-3-3 was expressed and subsequently analyzed via SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Its antigenicity was then tested with sera from schistosome-infected mice and humans through ELISA. Results showed that rSj14-3-3 had significant antigenicity when tested with infected mice sera (P < 0.05) and human sera (P < 0.05) compared to negative controls. These findings suggest that rSj14-3-3 could serve as an alternative diagnostic antigen for schistosomiasis. Nevertheless, further research is needed to fully evaluate its immunodiagnostic potential.