The Compatibility Between Biomphalaria glabrata Snails and Schistosoma mansoni: An Increasingly Complex Puzzle.
This review reexamines the results obtained in recent decades regarding the compatibility polymorphism between the snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, and the pathogen, Schistosoma mansoni, which is one of the agents responsible for human schistosomiasis. Some results point to the snail's resistance as explaining the incompatibility, while others support a "matching hypothesis" between the snail's immune receptors and the schistosome's antigens. We propose here that the two hypotheses are not exclusive, and that the compatible/incompatible status of a particular host/parasite couple probably reflects the balance of multiple molecular determinants that support one hypothesis or the other. Because these genes are involved in a coevolutionary arms race, we also propose that the underlying mechanisms can vary. Finally, some recent results show that environmental factors could influence compatibility. Together, these results make the compatibility between B. glabrata and S. mansoni an increasingly complex puzzle. We need to develop more integrative approaches in order to find targets that could potentially be manipulated to control the transmission of schistosomiasis.
University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France.
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Mitta
University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France.
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Gourbal
University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France.
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Grunau
The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States; University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, United States.
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Knight
Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom.
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Bridger
University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France.
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Théron
D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000469:parasitology*; D004199:Disease Vectors; D006801:Humans; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission
Biomphalaria glabrata; Compatibility polymorphism; Epigenetic; Immune priming; Schistosoma mansoni