title: Schistosoma mansoni: ability of con A to protect in vitro mechanically transformed schistosomula against the lethal effect of immune serum plus complement.
abstract: Concanavalin A added to a defined culture medium renders schistosomula more resistant to the lethal effect of antibody plus complement. The Con A dose-dependent acquisition of protection reached a plateau at a concentration of 4 micrograms Con A/ml. alpha-Methylmannoside was not able to reverse the Con A-induced protection but excess methylmannoside, added to the incubation medium together with Con A partially prevented the effect of the lectin. Binding of anti-parasite antibody to the schistosomula surface did not change after pre-incubation with Con A. In the presence of puromycin (100 micrograms/ml) Con A is still able to confer protection. Incorporation of labelled amino acid into the tegumental proteins was not affected by Con A. Furthermore, a progressive reduction of protection was observed as the time of culture preceding Con A addition increased.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008766:Methylmannosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011691:Puromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera; D008766:Methylmannosides; D003208:Concanavalin A; D011691:Puromycin; D003165:Complement System Proteins