Schistosomiasis is considered the most important human helminthiasis in terms of morbidity and mortality. In this study, comparative soluble proteomic analysis of normal cercariae and ultraviolet-irradiated attenuated cercariae (UVAC) from Schistosoma japonicum were carried out in view of the high efficiency of irradiation-attenuated cercariae vaccine. The results revealed that some proteins showed significant differential expression in the parasite after treatment with ultraviolet light. Total 20 protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry, corresponded to five groups according to their functions in the main that were structural and motor proteins (actin, et al.), energy metabolism associated enzymes (glyceraldehydes-3-phosphage dehydrogenase, et al.), signaling transduction pathway-associated molecules (14-3-3 protein, et al.), heat shock protein families (HSP 70 family, et al.), and other functional proteins (20S proteasome). Furthermore, our results indicated that the differential expression of the proteins by ultraviolet irradiation may be, at least partially, acquired by regulating the mRNA levels of corresponding proteins. These results may provide new clues for further exploring the mechanism of protective immunity induced by UVAC and may shed some light on the development of vaccines against schistosomiasis.
The tegumental membrane of platyhelminth parasites is of crucial importance for modulation of the host response and parasite survival. A complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) containing an open reading frame of 390 bp, which encodes a profilin-like tegumental protein with a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.02 and a molecular weight of 14.42 kDa, had been identified by bioinformatic analysis. The coding region of the cDNA was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant protein named rSj15 was immunogenic and could elicit a high titer of antibody in mice. Western blot analysis revealed that the protein was differentially expressed during the different growth stages of Schistosoma japonicum. Immunohistochemical analysis localized the protein to the tegument and underlying tissue of the S. japonicum adult worm. The rSj15 could induce the expressions of IL-12 in the cultured mouse dendritic cell.
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