Author(s)

Sharlene Kerubo Mageto^1*, Rebecca Wanjiku Waihenya², Anne Wanjiru Mwangi^3,4, Peter Kipkemboi Rotich⁵, Matthew Mutinda Munyao⁵, Tonny Teya⁵, Robinson Mugasiali Irekwa⁵, Joanne Jepkemei Yego^3,5, Caroline Wangui Njoroge⁵, Grace Ng’endo Kanyita⁶, Nicole Sian Tanchu³, Dawala Koromtili Oumar¹, Primrose Muthoni Ndungu⁷, Samson Muuo Nzou^3,5

¹Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Pan-African University Institute of Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, Nairobi, Kenya.
²Zoology Department, Jomo Kenyatta University for Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
³Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine, Kenya Medical Research Institute (NUITM-KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya.
⁴Production Department, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁵Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁶Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁷Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) remains a public health concern as it can cause permanent morbidity and disability to those infected. While the global elimination of LF in these endemic areas is ongoing through mass drug administration, there is the need to develop diagnostic tools that would be utilized to track the progress of total global eradication as well as perform surveillance for the recurrence of lymphatic filariasis transmission. Currently, approved LF diagnosis tools are faced with lack of specificity, low sensitivity, and periodicity dependence. Recombinant filarial antigen-based assays can address these drawbacks and offer practical instruments for LF diagnosis and surveillance. This present study, evaluated rWb-SXP-1 and rWb-123 antigens as potential diagnostic biomarker tools for Wuchereria banchrofti in human sera using microspheres-based multiplex serological assay. Based on statistical analysis using XLSTAT 2019 (Addinsoft) on data generated from multiplex technology assay, generated ROC curves for both rWb-SXP-1 and rWb-123 demonstrated 87.1% sensitivity to Wuchereria banchrofti human sera with rWb-SXP-1 antigens having the highest specificity of 96%. Indication that rWb-SXP-1 and rWb-123 antigens are capable of detecting immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) antibodies in human sera synthesized specifically against W. banchrofti infections. Therefore, rWb-SXP-1 and rWb-123 antigens can be utilized to detect W. banchrofti infections by antibody profiling with excellent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity using microsphere-based multiplex serological tests. This method can be particularly practical for screening a large number of sera samples and/or for quick, extensive field-testing due to the high-throughput and quick formats applied.

Lymphatic Filariasis, Recombinant Antigens, Diagnosis

Mageto, S. , Waihenya, R. , Mwangi, A. , Rotich, P. , Munyao, M. , Teya, T. , Irekwa, R. , Yego, J. , Njoroge, C. , Kanyita, G. , Tanchu, N. , Oumar, D. , Ndungu, P. and Nzou, S. (2023) Expression and Evaluation of Wb-SXP-1 and Wb-123 Recombinant Antigens as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Lymphatic Filariasis. American Journal of Molecular Biology, 13, 95-112. doi: 10.4236/ajmb.2023.132007.