title: A Microtus fortis protein, serum albumin, is a novel inhibitor of Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula.
abstract: Schistosomiasis is an endemic parasite disease and praziquantel is the only drug currently in use to control this disease. Experimental and epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that Microtus fortis ( Mf ) is a naturally resistant vertebrate host of Schistosoma japonicum . In the present study, we found that Mf serum albumin ( Mf -albumin) and the conditioned medium of pcDNA3.1- Mf -albumin caused 46.2% and 38.7% schistosomula death rates in 96 h, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of the negative control (p < 0.05). We also found that mice injected with Mf -albumin had a 43.5% reduction in worm burden and a 48.1% reduction in liver eggs per gram (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control animals. To characterise the mechanisms involved in clearance, schistosomula were incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled Mf -albumin and fluorescent enrichment effects were found in the gut lumen of schistosomula after 48 h of incubation. Next, digestive tract excretions from schistosomula were collected and the sensitivity of Mf -albumin to digestive tract excretions was evaluated. The results indicated that schistosomula digestive tract excretions showed indigestibility of Mf -albumin. The death of schistosomula could be partially attributed to the lack of digestion of Mf -albumin by digestive tract excretions during the development of the schistosomula stage. Therefore, these data indicate the potential of Mf -albumin as one of the major selective forces for schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Central South University, Xiangya School of Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Molecular Biology Research Centre, ChangshaHunan, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guo-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: De-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Ruan-Jing
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wei-Xin
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000469:parasitology*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000187:drug effects*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin