Figure 2. 2D-Western blot analysis of the serospecificities of different VL patients and of the antigenicities of L. donovani isolates from different endemic districts in Bihar, India.

Whole protein extracts of L. donovani BHU2 (MHOM/IN/02/BHU2) (Panels A–D) isolated from a patient from Motihari or BHU17 (MHOM/IN/02/BHU17) (Panels E–F) isolated from a patient from Muzaffarpur district were separated by 2-dimensional electrophoresis (pH-range of first dimension: 3–10 on 18 cm IPG-strips; second dimension: 12.5% SDS-PAGE).

The separated proteins were blotted onto nitrocellulose membrane and probed with sera of different patients: A: patient No. 17; B: patient No. 2; C: patient No. 3; D: patient No. 14; E: patient No. 17; F: patient No. 3.

Patients 2 and 3 were from Motihari, patients 14 and 17 from Muzaffarpur.

For comparison of the serospecificities shown with Panels A–D, BHU2 proteins were probed with 4 different sera, 2 from Motihari, 2 from Muzaffarpur district.

Dotted circles indicate antigens recognized by all 4 sera.

Private specificities are not marked.

For comparison of the antigenicities of different LD isolates shown with Panels C–F, proteins of BHU2 (Panels C and D) and BHU17 (Panels E and F) were probed with a serum from the same district and a serum from the respective other district.

Circles with full lines in panels C–F indicate antigens that are detected only in one of the two LD isolates but not in the other.