title: The schistosome excretory system: a key to regulation of metabolism, drug excretion and host interaction.
abstract: There is a gulf between the enormous information content of the various genome projects and the understanding of the life of the parasite in the host. In vitro studies with adult Schistosoma mansoni using several substrates suggest that the excretory system contains both P-glycoproteins and multiresistance proteins. If both these families of protein were active in vivo, they could regulate parasite metabolism and be responsible for the excretion of drugs. During skin penetration, membrane-impermeant molecules of a wide range of molecular weights can be taken into the cercaria and schistosomulum through the nephridiopore, through the surface membrane or through both. We speculate that this uptake process might stimulate novel signalling pathways involved in growth and development.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK. j.kusel@educ.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kusel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McVeigh
authors.forename: Joyce A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thornhill
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001692:Biological Transport; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005260:Female; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D000871:Anthelmintics; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D011223:Praziquantel