Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Int J Parasitol. 2012 Jun;42(7):613-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.04.008. Epub 2012 May 3.
The Schistosoma mansoni Venom Allergen-Like proteins (SmVALs) are members of the SCP/TAPS (Sperm-Coating Protein/Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7) protein superfamily, which may be important in host-pathogen interactions. Whole mount in situ hybridisation demonstrated a distinct expression pattern in oral and ventral suckers of adult worms for SmVAL6 and in the oesophageal gland for SmVAL7 transcripts, respectively. Additionally, immunocytochemistry analysis corroborated SmVAL7 expression in the oesophageal gland. Analysis of protein expression across the parasite's life cycle revealed that the SmVAL6 protein is upregulated in cercariae and adult male worms. Furthermore, SmVAL6 protein was identified by mass spectrometry in tegument fractions of adult worms. Finally, we speculate on possible functions of these two SmVALs at the host-parasite interface.
曼氏血吸虫唾液酸结合性维生素 A 结合蛋白样蛋白（SmVALs）是 SCP/TAPS（精子包被蛋白/Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7）蛋白超家族的成员，可能在宿主-病原体相互作用中具有重要作用。整体原位杂交显示，SmVAL6 在成虫的口吸盘和腹吸盘以及 SmVAL7 转录物在食道腺中具有明显的表达模式。此外，免疫细胞化学分析证实了 SmVAL7 在食道腺中的表达。对整个寄生虫生命周期的蛋白质表达分析表明，SmVAL6 蛋白在尾蚴和成虫雄性中上调。此外，成虫的体被部分通过质谱分析鉴定出 SmVAL6 蛋白。最后，我们推测这两种 SmVAL 在宿主-寄生虫界面上可能具有的功能。
