title: Differences in the gene expression profiles of haemocytes from schistosome-susceptible and -resistant biomphalaria glabrata exposed to Schistosoma mansoni excretory-secretory products.
abstract: During its life cycle, the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni uses the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata as an intermediate host to reproduce asexually generating cercariae for infection of the human definitive host. Following invasion of the snail, the parasite develops from a miracidium to a mother sporocyst and releases excretory-secretory products (ESPs) that likely influence the outcome of host infection. To better understand molecular interactions between these ESPs and the host snail defence system, we determined gene expression profiles of haemocytes from S. mansoni-resistant or -susceptible strains of B. glabrata exposed in vitro to S. mansoni ESPs (20 μg/ml) for 1 h, using a 5K B. glabrata cDNA microarray. Ninety-eight genes were found differentially expressed between haemocytes from the two snail strains, 57 resistant specific and 41 susceptible specific, 60 of which had no known homologue in GenBank. Known differentially expressed resistant-snail genes included the nuclear factor kappa B subunit Relish, elongation factor 1α, 40S ribosomal protein S9, and matrilin; known susceptible-snail specific genes included cathepsins D and L, and theromacin. Comparative analysis with other gene expression studies revealed 38 of the 98 identified genes to be uniquely differentially expressed in haemocytes in the presence of ESPs, thus identifying for the first time schistosome ESPs as important molecules that influence global snail host-defence cell gene expression profiles. Such immunomodulation may benefit the schistosome, enabling its survival and successful development in the snail host.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, School of Life Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom; Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratory, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Zahida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zahoor
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratory, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lockyer
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, School of Life Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Angela J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, School of Life Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ruth S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratory, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Aidan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratory, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rollinson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Catherine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Leslie R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, School of Life Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology