In vitro evaluation of the effect of galectins on Schistosoma mansoni motility.

OBJECTIVE: Galectins are sugar-binding proteins that participate in many biological processes, such as immunity, by regulating host immune cells and their direct interaction with pathogens. They are involved in mediating infection by Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic trematode that causes schistosomiasis. However, their direct effects on schistosomes have not been investigated. RESULTS: We found that galectin-2 recognizes S. mansoni glycoconjugates and investigated whether galectin-1, 2, and 3 can directly affect S. mansoni in vitro. Adult S. mansoni were treated with recombinant galectin-1, 2, and 3 proteins or praziquantel, a positive control. Treatment with galectin-1, 2, and 3 had no significant effect on S. mansoni motility, and no other differences were observed under a stereoscopic microscope. Hence, galectin-1, 2, and 3 may have a little direct effect on S. mansoni. However, they might play a role in the infection in vivo via the modulation of the host immune response or secretory molecules from S. mansoni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the direct effect of galectins on S. mansoni and helps in understanding the roles of galectins in S. mansoni infection in vivo.

Schistosoma mansoni larvae in vitro cultures using Biomphalaria glabrata extracts.

Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent waterborne parasitic diseases affecting humans. In natural conditions, snails are necessary for maintenance of its lifecycle and also required as intermediate hosts to maintain the lifecycle in laboratory settings. In the present study, the location of S. mansoni larvae in Biomphalaria glabrata snails after infection (inoculation of miracidia) was investigated. Larvae were found located in the head-foot (HF) area of B. glabrata snails at 10 days post-infection (DPI), then their location was predominantly changed to the hepatopancreas and ovotestis (HPOT) area by 56 DPI. Next, the effects of extracts from various organs of B. glabrata snails including HF and HPOT for in vitro culturing of S. mansoni larvae were investigated. The HF extract enabled prolonged culturing of S. mansoni larvae. Furthermore, sequential use of that followed by the HPOT extract supported larval development or reproduction of daughter sporocysts. These results may provide important information for identifying essential factors and molecules for culturing Schistosoma larvae in vitro.

Galectin-2 suppresses nematode development by binding to the invertebrate-specific galactoseß1-4fucose glyco-epitope.

Galactoseß1-4Fucose (GalFuc) is a unique disaccharide found in invertebrates including nematodes. A fungal galectin CGL2 suppresses nematode development by recognizing the galactoseß1-4fucose epitope. The Caenorhabditis elegans galectin LEC-6 recognizes it as an endogenous ligand and the Glu67 residue of LEC-6 is responsible for this interaction. We found that mammalian galectin-2 (Gal-2) also has a comparable glutamate residue, Glu52. In the present study, we investigated the potential nematode-suppressing activity of Gal-2 using C. elegans as a model and focusing on Gal-2 binding to the GalFuc epitope. Gal-2 suppressed C. elegans development whereas its E52D mutant (Glu52 substituted by Asp), galectin-1 and galectin-3 had little effect on C. elegans growth. Lectin-staining using fluorescently-labeled Gal-2 revealed that, like CGL2, it specifically binds to the C. elegans intestine. Natural C. elegans glycoconjugates were specifically bound by immobilized Gal-2. Western blotting with anti-GalFuc antibody showed that the bound glycoconjugates had the GalFuc epitope. Frontal affinity chromatography with pyridylamine-labeled C. elegans N-glycans disclosed that Gal-2 (but not its E52D mutant) recognizes the GalFuc epitope. Gal-2 also binds to the GalFuc-bearing glycoconjugates of Ascaris and the GalFuc epitope is present in the parasitic nematodes Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Brugia pahangi. These results indicate that Gal-2 suppresses C. elegans development by binding to its GalFuc epitope. The findings also imply that Gal-2 may prevent infestations of various parasitic nematodes bearing the GalFuc epitope.