Lectin and Human Blood Group Determinants of Schistosoma mansoni: Alteration Following In vitro Transformation of Miracidium to Mother Sporocyst

Abstract

A mixed agglutination assay method was employed to detect the presence of surface determinants for various lectins and human blood group antibodies on S. mansoni miracidia and cultured mother sporocysts. Miracidia possessed 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. Transition of the miracidium to the sporocyst results in the alteration of surface molecular structures on schistosome larvae. Since determinants for Con A, anti-Heel, anti-ADb, and human anti-A were associated with macromolecules in the hemolymph of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Stanislawski et al., 1976), miracidia and mother sporocysts of S. mansoni and their snail host share molecules with common lectin and human blood group determinants.