Schistosoma mansoni: cell-mediated immunity evaluated by antigen-induced leukocyte adherence inhibition assay.

Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from schistosomiasis patients fail to adhere to glass in the presence of soluble egg antigens (SEA) or soluble worm adult antigenic preparation (SWAP). These leukocytes are non-reactive with S. mansoni unrelated antigens (C. albicans and bovine albumin). Supernatants obtained from cultures of mononuclear cells of patients with antigens were able to inhibit granulocyte adherence to glass. The inhibition of antigen-induced adherence (LAI assay) was not observed when PBL or supernatants were obtained from normal subjects or from schistosomiasis patients after chemotherapy. These results show that under the conditions tested, leukocytes appear to react directly with SEA or SWAP thus losing their property of adherence to glass.