Lectin and human blood group determinants of Schistosoma mansoni: alteration following in vitro transformation of miracidium to mother sporocyst.

A mixed agglutination assay method was employed to detect the presence of surface determinants for various lectins and human blood group antibodies on Schistosoma mansoni miracidia and cultured mother sporocysts. Miracidia were found to possess surface receptors for the lectins Con A (concanavalin A), anti-Heel (eel serum agglutinin), and anti-ADb (Dolichos seed extract), as well as human anti-A antibodies. Following in vitro transformation of the miracidium to mother sporocyst, anti-Heel and human anti-A receptors were no longer detectable on the sporocyst surface, while determinants for Con A and anti-ADb remained essentially unaltered. It is concluded that transition of the miracidium to the sporocyst results in the alteration of surface molecular structures on schistosome larve. Furthermore, since determinants for Con A, anti-Heel, anti ADb, and human anti-A have been found associated with macromolecules in the hemolymph of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Stnislawski et al., 1976), there is now evidence that miracidia and mother sporocysts of S. mansoni and their snail host share molecules with common lectin and human blood group determinants.