title: Schistosoma mansoni: phospholipid methylation and the escape of schistosomula from in vitro cytotoxic reaction.
abstract: The ability of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula to evade in vitro cytotoxic activity of antibodies plus complement is shown to be increased by incubation with Concanavalin A (Con A) or with non-immune inactivated human serum. This effect was not observed if S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH) a methyltransferase inhibitor was added to the incubation medium. Methyl group incorporation occurs in schistosomulum phospholipids if parasites are incubated in Earle's balanced salt solution. This incorporation is increased by Con A addition and this increase is inhibited by SAH. Supernatants of schistosomula incubated in culture media containing Con A were able to promote phospholipid methylation, showing that methyltransferases were liberated into the culture media. The possible roles played by these phenomena in host-parasite interactions are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D008745:Methylation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D003208:Concanavalin A; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine