An immunogenetically defined and immunodominant Trypanosoma cruzi antigen.

Two strains of mice, A. SW (H-2s) and A.CA (H-2f), were immunized with live trypomastigotes or epimastigotes of the Tulahuen strain of Trypanosoma cruzi or with their sonicates. By immunowestern blotting, sera from A.SW mice, but not from A.CA, recognized, in an immunodominant fashion, a 45 kDal polypeptide (Tc45) present in both epimastigotes and trypomastigotes. Since A.SW and A.CA strains are congenic for the major histocompatibility H-2 complex, recognition of Tc45 seems to be controlled by this genetic region or by gene(s) located in its immediate vicinity. Subcellular fractionation revealed that Tc45 is mainly present at the cytoplasmic compartment.