Pathways for the influx of molecules into cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni during skin penetration.
It has been observed that fluorescent membrane-impermeant molecules can enter the cercariae as they penetrate mouse skin. The hypothesis to be tested was that such molecules, which included Lucifer Yellow and a variety of fluorescent dextrans, entered the parasite through the nephridiopore and excretory tubules as well as through the surface membrane. FITC-labelled poly-L-lysine (molecular weight 10 kDa), added at 4 degrees C during syringe transformation, was found to enter the nephridiopore and labelled the excretory bladder and sometimes the excretory tubules. This finding indicates that macromolecules (10 kDa) can enter the nephridiopore. It was found that linoleic acid (a normal constituent of skin) greatly stimulated uptake of Lucifer Yellow and dextrans into the excretory/subtegumental region of 2-h-old schistosomula. This correlated with an increased uptake of membrane-impermeant propidium iodide at 37 degrees C. Since increased uptake of propidium iodide occurs when membranes become permeable, the surface membrane could also be a pathway of transport of the membrane-impermeant molecules into the schistosomulum.
Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
J A
JA
Thornhill
P
P
McVeigh
A D
AD
Jurberg
J R
JR
Kusel
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000469:parasitology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology*
D003911:Dextrans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; C017475:lucifer yellow; D019787:Linoleic Acid