Mossalem Hanan S, Nasr Sami Mohamed, Fahmy Azza Moustafa, Atta Shimaa, Abuelenain Gehan Labib
Medical Malacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, 12411, Egypt.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, 12411, Egypt.
Acta Parasitol. 2025 Jan 24;70(1):41. doi: 10.1007/s11686-025-00988-2.
The freshwater snails Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus trancatus are key contributors to the transmission of S. mansoni and S.haematobium, respectively, for being their intermediate hosts.
This research study aimed to investigate the potency of the nucleoproteins (NPs) extracted from both snail species on the host immune reactions as an approach to developing a potential vaccine.
Three groups of six-week-old Swiss-Webster mice (n = 18; 15-20 g each) were injected intraperitoneally for three consecutive weeks with single doses (once a week) of B. alexandrina, B. truncatus, or a mixture of their nucleoproteins (50 µg each). On day 21st, the nucleoprotein-treated mice altogether, with six more mice, received subcutaneously S. mansoni cercariae (60/mouse). Eight weeks later, the experimental mice were sacrificed for evaluation of certain parasitological, molecular and immunological responses.
The data of mice immunized with the various types of nucleoproteins showed a significant increase of FAS/R gene expressions in hepatic tissues and anti-IgG antibody levels in sera on the one hand and a significant decrease of worm loads and β-actin/R gene expression levels on the other hand when compared to the infected control mice.
These findings highlight the role of snails in immunomodulation and shed light on the possibility of antagonizing effects that might occur when the nucleoproteins of different species are mixed. Moreover, this research study might promote the literature spotting the importance of snail proteins against schistosomiasis.
淡水螺类埃及双脐螺和截形泡螺分别作为曼氏血吸虫和埃及血吸虫的中间宿主，是这两种血吸虫传播的关键因素。
本研究旨在探究从这两种螺类中提取的核蛋白对宿主免疫反应的作用，以此作为开发潜在疫苗的一种方法。
将三组六周龄的瑞士韦伯斯特小鼠（每组n = 6；每组15 - 20克）连续三周腹腔注射单剂量（每周一次）的埃及双脐螺、截形泡螺或它们的核蛋白混合物（每种50微克）。在第21天，接受核蛋白处理的小鼠以及另外六只小鼠皮下感染曼氏血吸虫尾蚴（每只小鼠60条）。八周后，处死实验小鼠以评估某些寄生虫学、分子学和免疫学反应。
与感染对照小鼠相比，用不同类型核蛋白免疫的小鼠数据显示，一方面肝组织中FAS/R基因表达和血清中抗IgG抗体水平显著增加，另一方面虫负荷和β-肌动蛋白/R基因表达水平显著降低。
这些发现突出了螺类在免疫调节中的作用，并揭示了不同物种核蛋白混合时可能产生的拮抗作用。此外，本研究可能会促进文献中对螺类蛋白抗血吸虫病重要性的关注。
