Biomaterial Database

Excretion patterns of Schistosoma mansoni antigens CCA and CAA by adult male and female worms, using a mouse model and ex vivo parasite cultures. 2022

Miriam Casacuberta-Partal, and Lisette van Lieshout, and Angela van Diepen, and Jeroen C Sijtsma, and Arifa Ozir-Fazalalikhan, and Jan Pieter R Koopman, and Claudia J de Dood, and Paul L A M Corstjens, and Govert J van Dam, and Cornelis H Hokke, and Meta Roestenberg

Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P4-Q, PO Box 9600, 2333ZALeiden, The Netherlands.

Assays which enable the detection of schistosome gut-associated circulating anodic (CAA) and cathodic (CCA) antigen in serum or urine are increasingly used as a diagnostic tool for schistosome infection. However, little is known about the production and clearance of these circulating antigens in relation to the sex and reproductive maturity of the parasite. Here we describe CAA and CCA excretion patterns by exploring a mouse model after exposure to 36 male-only, female-only and mixed (male/female) Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. We found that serum and urine CAA levels, analysed at 3 weeks intervals, peaked at 6 weeks post-infection. Worms recovered after perfusion at 14 weeks were cultured ex vivo. Male parasites excreted more circulating antigens than females, in the mouse model as well as ex vivo. In mixed infections (supporting egg production), serum CAA levels correlated to the number of recovered worms, whereas faecal egg counts or Schistosoma DNA in stool did not. No viable eggs and no inflammation were seen in the livers from mice infected with female worms only. Ex vivo, CAA levels were higher than CCA levels. Our study confirms that CAA levels reflect worm burden and allows detection of low-level single-sex infections.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010270	Parasite Egg Count	Determination of parasite eggs in feces.	Count, Parasite Egg,Counts, Parasite Egg,Egg Count, Parasite,Egg Counts, Parasite,Parasite Egg Counts
D010271	Parasites	Invertebrate organisms that live on or in another organism (the host), and benefit at the expense of the other. Traditionally excluded from definition of parasites are pathogenic BACTERIA; FUNGI; VIRUSES; and PLANTS; though they may live parasitically.	Parasite
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000909	Antibodies, Helminth	Immunoglobulins produced in a response to HELMINTH ANTIGENS.	Helminth Antibodies
D000947	Antigens, Helminth	Any part or derivative of a helminth that elicits an immune reaction. The most commonly seen helminth antigens are those of the schistosomes.	Helminth Antigens
D012550	Schistosoma mansoni	A species of trematode blood flukes of the family Schistosomatidae. It is common in the Nile delta. The intermediate host is the planorbid snail. This parasite causes schistosomiasis mansoni and intestinal bilharziasis.	Schistosoma mansonus,mansonus, Schistosoma
D012555	Schistosomiasis mansoni	Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni. It is endemic in Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean and affects mainly the bowel, spleen, and liver.	Schistosomiasis, Intestinal,Schistosoma mansoni Infection,Infection, Schistosoma mansoni,Infections, Schistosoma mansoni,Intestinal Schistosomiases,Intestinal Schistosomiasis,Schistosoma mansoni Infections,Schistosomiases, Intestinal