sepharose and Schistosomiasis

Schistosomasis is a world-wide parasitic disease. Although chemotherapy is the main treatment method for schistosomasis currently, it cannot prevent schistosome reinfection. Up to now no effective vaccine is available to prevent schistosomiasis. Dendritic cells (DCs) are one of the key players in the cellular immune response and play an important role in antigen presentation as antigen-presenting cells. Here we reported a novel large particulate antigen, in which Sepharose 4B beads were coated with Sj22.6/26GST. Our results showed that this particulate antigen could be cross-presented by DCs to CD8(+)T cells. Furthermore, CD8(+)T cells stimulated by particulate antigen directly exerted cytotoxicity against Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula. We also demonstrated that S. japonicum schistosomula acquired the MHC class I molecules from host blood serum and presented the molecules at the larval surface. While it may help them escape from the host immune surveillance, these MHC I-antigen complexes presented on the surface render schistosomula the potential targets of the CD8(+)T cell cytotoxicity induced by particulate antigen-based vaccine. Finally we evaluated the protective immunity of this particulate vaccine in a mouse infection challenge model. Our data clearly showed that the particulate vaccine induced a partial reduction in both worm burdens and egg loads. Taken together, these results suggest that this large particulate vaccine could be a potential vaccine for the prevention of schistosome infection.

Topics: Animals; Antigen Presentation; Antigens, Helminth; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Dendritic Cells; Female; Freund's Adjuvant; Helminth Proteins; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Schistosoma japonicum; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Vaccines

The nature of the mononuclear suppressor cell and the fraction of crude soluble egg antigen (SEA) capable of activating antigen-specific suppressor cells were studied in 32 Egyptian children infected with schistosomiasis mansoni. Crude SEA was fractionated on Con A Sepharose, and the unbound and bound material (eluted with alpha-methyl-D-mannoside) was recovered for use in the generation of suppressor cells by the use of a co-culture technique. The glycoprotein fraction was further purified by DEAE cellulose chromatography to isolate the major serologic antigen (MSA-1). We found that both the crude SEA and the "protein" fraction (nonadherent to Con A Sepharose) of SEA was capable of inducing antigen-specific suppressor cell activity in a dose-dependent manner. The glycoprotein fraction of SEA (including MSA-1) was responsible for inducing nonspecific suppression. The antigen-specific suppressor cell was characterized in terms of its adherence properties of plastic and the presence of a receptor for sheep erythrocytes (E). The nonadherent, E-rosette-positive mononuclear cells were found to be activated by the crude SEA, and the "protein" fraction of SEA was found to exert an antigen-specific suppressor influence. Clinically, suppressor cell activity was found to be statistically greater in patients with a high intensity of infection compared to those with a low intensity of infection, but it was not different in patients with regard to the presence or absence of organomegaly. These results provide further information on one of the immunoregulatory mechanisms operative in human S. mansoni infection and on the nature of the antigen(s) that activates this response during the course of infection.

Topics: Antigens; Cell Adhesion; Chemical Fractionation; Child; Concanavalin A; Epitopes; Female; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Ovum; Rosette Formation; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

An experimental model of schistosomal portal fibrosis is described. Sepharose beads the size of schistosome eggs, loaded or not with soluble egg antigen (SEA) from Schistosoma mansoni, are injected into the coecal vein of C3H/Sn mice and become embolized in the liver. Only SEA-coated beads evoke a granulomatous reaction; this is enhanced by simultaneous priming of the mice with spleen cells from Schistosoma mansoni-infected syngeneic animals. The fibrosis, which ensues around the beads, is stable and is much more evident after priming. Preliminary collagen tissue immunotyping reveals the presence of collagen deposits of types I and III collagen. Type IV collagen remains unchanged in the portal tracts. The model appears to be well suited for studies of the pathogenesis of portal fibrosis.

Topics: Animals; Collagen; Cricetinae; Drug Implants; Female; Liver; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Ovum; Polysaccharides; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose

Antigens of Fasciola hepatica adult worms were chromatographed using concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B. Two unbound peaks appeared in the inclusion volume (DT-1 and DT-2), and one peak was eluted with alpha-methylglucoside (E1-1). At least seven peaks were obtained by isoelectric focusing of E1-1. The largest of these peaks, with an average pI of 4.0, contained the antigens reactive with antibodies to Schistosoma mansoni. Mice immunized with DT-2 or E1-1 and challenged with S. mansoni cercariae developed 39 to 82% fewer worms than controls. DT-1 had no protective effect. Combining DT-1 and DT-2 abolished this protection. These experiments demonstrate that F. hepatica glycoprotein antigens induce in mice significant protection to infection with S. mansoni and offer an interesting approach to the study of vaccines in experimental schistosomiasis.

Topics: Animals; Antigens; Chromatography, Affinity; Concanavalin A; Fasciola hepatica; Immunity; Immunization; Immunodiffusion; Isoelectric Focusing; Mice; Rabbits; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose

Topics: Animals; Antigen-Antibody Complex; Antigens; Cricetinae; Fluorometry; Immunoelectrophoresis; Mesocricetus; Mice; Microspheres; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose

Topics: Animals; Antigens; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Peroxidases; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose; Serologic Tests; Swine

Topics: Alanine; Aminobutyrates; Aminohippuric Acids; Antigens; Citrulline; Cross Reactions; Cyanogen Bromide; Ethanolamines; Fasciola hepatica; Fascioliasis; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Glutamates; Glycine; Humans; Phosphoric Acids; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis; Sepharose; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Taurine