Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens.
<h4>Background</h4>Schistosomiasis continues to be one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in the world. Despite the existence of a highly effective antischistosome drug, the disease is spreading into new areas, and national control programs do not arrive to complete their tasks par...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0002254&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1826866300846080000 |
|---|---|
| author | Guidenn Sulbarán Oscar Noya Beatríz Brito Diana E Ballén Italo M Cesari |
| author_facet | Guidenn Sulbarán Oscar Noya Beatríz Brito Diana E Ballén Italo M Cesari |
| author_sort | Guidenn Sulbarán |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Schistosomiasis continues to be one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in the world. Despite the existence of a highly effective antischistosome drug, the disease is spreading into new areas, and national control programs do not arrive to complete their tasks particularly in low endemic areas. The availability of a vaccine could represent an additional component to chemotherapy. Experimental vaccination studies are however necessary to identify parasite molecules that would serve as vaccine candidates. In the present work, C57BL/6 female mice were subcutaneously immunized with an n-butanol extract of the adult worm particulate membranous fraction (AWBE) and its protective effect against a S. mansoni challenge infection was evaluated.<h4>Methodology and findings</h4>Water-saturated n-butanol release into the aqueous phase a set of membrane-associated (glyco)proteins that are variably recognized by antibodies in schistosome-infected patients; among the previously identified AWBE antigens there is Alkaline Phosphatase (SmAP) which has been associated with resistance to the infection in mice. As compared to control, a significantly lower number of perfuse parasites was obtained in the immunized/challenged mouse group (P<0.05, t test); and consequently, a lower number of eggs and granulomas (with reduced sizes), overall decreasing pathology. Immunized mice produced high levels of sera anti-AWBE IgG recognizing antigens of ∼190-, 130-, 98-, 47-, 28-23, 14-, and 9-kDa. The ∼130-kDa band (the AP dimer) exhibited in situ SmAP activity after addition of AP substrate and the activity was not apparently inhibited by host antibodies. A preliminary proteomic analysis of the 25-, 27-, and 28-kDa bands in the immunodominant 28-23 kDa region suggested that they are composed of actin.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Immunization with AWBE induced the production of specific antibodies to various adult worm membrane molecules (including AP) and a partial (43%) protection against a challenging S. mansoni infection by mechanism(s) that still has to be elucidated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:57:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-999e7435959a4071b64f7fd4bb1ab37b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-16T21:57:02Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-999e7435959a4071b64f7fd4bb1ab37b2025-01-16T05:32:27ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352013-01-0176e225410.1371/journal.pntd.0002254Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens.Guidenn SulbaránOscar NoyaBeatríz BritoDiana E BallénItalo M Cesari<h4>Background</h4>Schistosomiasis continues to be one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in the world. Despite the existence of a highly effective antischistosome drug, the disease is spreading into new areas, and national control programs do not arrive to complete their tasks particularly in low endemic areas. The availability of a vaccine could represent an additional component to chemotherapy. Experimental vaccination studies are however necessary to identify parasite molecules that would serve as vaccine candidates. In the present work, C57BL/6 female mice were subcutaneously immunized with an n-butanol extract of the adult worm particulate membranous fraction (AWBE) and its protective effect against a S. mansoni challenge infection was evaluated.<h4>Methodology and findings</h4>Water-saturated n-butanol release into the aqueous phase a set of membrane-associated (glyco)proteins that are variably recognized by antibodies in schistosome-infected patients; among the previously identified AWBE antigens there is Alkaline Phosphatase (SmAP) which has been associated with resistance to the infection in mice. As compared to control, a significantly lower number of perfuse parasites was obtained in the immunized/challenged mouse group (P<0.05, t test); and consequently, a lower number of eggs and granulomas (with reduced sizes), overall decreasing pathology. Immunized mice produced high levels of sera anti-AWBE IgG recognizing antigens of ∼190-, 130-, 98-, 47-, 28-23, 14-, and 9-kDa. The ∼130-kDa band (the AP dimer) exhibited in situ SmAP activity after addition of AP substrate and the activity was not apparently inhibited by host antibodies. A preliminary proteomic analysis of the 25-, 27-, and 28-kDa bands in the immunodominant 28-23 kDa region suggested that they are composed of actin.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Immunization with AWBE induced the production of specific antibodies to various adult worm membrane molecules (including AP) and a partial (43%) protection against a challenging S. mansoni infection by mechanism(s) that still has to be elucidated.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0002254&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Guidenn Sulbarán Oscar Noya Beatríz Brito Diana E Ballén Italo M Cesari Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. |
| title_full | Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. |
| title_fullStr | Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. |
| title_short | Immunoprotection of mice against Schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens. |
| title_sort | immunoprotection of mice against schistosomiasis mansoni using solubilized membrane antigens |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0002254&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guidennsulbaran immunoprotectionofmiceagainstschistosomiasismansoniusingsolubilizedmembraneantigens AT oscarnoya immunoprotectionofmiceagainstschistosomiasismansoniusingsolubilizedmembraneantigens AT beatrizbrito immunoprotectionofmiceagainstschistosomiasismansoniusingsolubilizedmembraneantigens AT dianaeballen immunoprotectionofmiceagainstschistosomiasismansoniusingsolubilizedmembraneantigens AT italomcesari immunoprotectionofmiceagainstschistosomiasismansoniusingsolubilizedmembraneantigens |