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Biomedical subjects

A Capron

Publications and source records attributed to A Capron.

At least 541 records · Page 30Linked to original sources

Antigenic properties of Schistosoma mansoni aminopeptidases: evolution during the development in mammalian hosts.

The involvement in the immunity to schistosomiasis of an aminopeptidase activity of schistosomula, 20-day-old and adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni has been studied. This activity, hydrolysing leucine-p-nitroanilide and alanine-p-nitroanilide at pH 7.4 was immunoprecipitated by various infected rat and human sera. These antigenic enzymes were expressed at day 28 after infection in the rat and seemed to be specific for the Schistosoma species. Several aminopeptidase activities were found after analysis by isoelectric focusing of the adult extract but only the pI 8.3 peak was antigenic. Three antigenic peaks were demonstrated after AcA 34 Ultrogel filtration. The biological relevance of these antigenic enzymes in schistosomiasis is discussed.

Aminopeptidases↗

Neutral protease activities at different developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni in mammalian hosts.

Neutral protease activities of schistosomula, 20 day old and adult worms of S. mansoni have been studied. 1. The neutral enzymes of the three development stages are able to hydrolyse numerous natural and synthetic substrates. 2. The enzymes of homogenates and saponin CaC12 extracts show significant discrepancies in their specificities, optimum pH activities and in the effects of enzyme inhibitors. 3. A serine protease activity was specific for the schistosomula stage whereas thiol proteinases characterize the later stages of evolution. A metalloaminopeptidase activity was shown at all three stages. 4. Gel filtration chromatography and isoelectric focusing of an adult worm homogenate demonstrated the presence of at least 5 caseolytic and 4 azocollytic neutral activities. Three aminopeptidases, one of which exhibited iminopeptidase specificity were revealed by the same procedure.

Aminopeptidases↗

Detection of ecdysteroids in the human trematode, Schistosoma mansoni.

Freeze fracture study of Schistosoma mansoni membrane differentiation enabled us to describe the characteristic features of the tegumental membrane complex at various stages of development of this parasite. The observation of a membrane exuviation during the 10-20 day period of infection of the definitive host led us to search for possible hormonal control. The development of an appropriate radioimmunoassay has allowed the detection of significant production of ecdysteroids in a human platyhelminth. This hormonal material undergoes level variation during the development of post-cercarial stages of S. mansoni and its precise chemical characterization is presently being investigated.

Animals↗

Peanut agglutinin affinity chromatography of Trypanosoma cruzi glycoproteins.

Glycoproteins from Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes have been extracted by diiodosalycilic acid and lithium salts, and phenol-water biphasic partition. Peanut agglutinin has been used in a one step preparative method for fractionating the total extract in order to separate the so-called galactose-terminal glycoproteins. The different fractions have been studied by SDS electrophoresis, ultracentrifugation and immunoelectrophoresis techniques. The experimental immunogenicity, antigenicity and specificity of the PNA affinity fractions has been evaluated.

Animals↗

Potentiated reagin response to ovalbumin in Schistosoma mansoni infected rats and in rats treated with a soluble metabolic product from adult worms.

Infection by Schistosoma mansoni in the rat was found able to maintain high levels of reaginic antibody to an unrelated antigen, ovalbumin, mainly when infection was carried out 14 days after immunization. In addition, administration of a soluble metabolic product of living worms, the immunosuppressive activity of which was removed by dialysis, was also effective in inducing a potentiated response to ovalbumin.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Detection of IgE antibodies in onchocerciasis. Possibility of using allergens from Dipetalonema viteae extracts that cross-react with allergenic determinants in crude extracts of Onchocerca volvulus.

The present study reports the presence of Onchocerca volvulus specific IgE in the sera obtained from onchocerciasis patients. About 70% of onchocerciasis patients showed a raised level of O. volvulus specific IgE compared to patients infected either with other human filarids (Loa loa, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi) or with other helminths (Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides, Fasciola hepatica). The O. volvulus specific IgE level was significantly higher in patients exhibiting 'gale filarienne' than in microfilaremic patients or in endemic controls. The total IgE level was significantly raised in the serum samples of all groups of subjects from endemic areas compared to European controls. There was no significant increase in the level of IgE in the onchocerciasis sera when O. volvulus antigen was replaced by the antigens from various helminths in the present assay system (radioallergosorbent test). However, there was a clear evidence of the presence of cross-reacting allergens in the crude extracts from adults of O. volvulus and Dipetalonema viteae (a rodent filarial parasite) because there was a significant reduction in IgE level in onchocerciasis sera following absorption with either O. volvulus or D. viteae sorbents. Moreover, the IgE antibodies in onchocerciasis patients sera recognized the allergens which were present in the somatic extracts of O. volvulus and D. viteae as revealed by radiolabelled anti-IgE.

Allergens↗

The use of an excretory-secretory antigen for an ELISA specific sero-diagnosis of visceral larva migrans.

In sera from patients with visceral larva migrans (VLM) syndrome, enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) was used to detect IgG and IgE antibody anti-excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) from the second larval stage of Toxocara canis. The technical conditions of the assay were determined. The specificity of IgG ELISA-ESA (with OD values greater than 0.34) allowed the differentiation of VLM syndrome from ascaris or other human parasite infections.

Antibodies↗

Complement-mediated leukocyte adherence to infective larvae of Dipetalonema viteae (Filarioidea): requirement for eosinophils or eosinophil products in effecting macrophage adherence.

The present study reports the existence of C-mediated adherence of eosinophils and/or macrophages to filarial infective larvae of Dipetalonema viteae. C3 molecules are present on the surface of the parasite, as shown by immunofluorescence studies. Samples of fNRS depleted of AP of complement by treatment with Zymosan A or of factor B by heating at 50 degrees C for 20 min fail to mediate cell adherence to the parasite. In contrast, fNRS inactivated for CP of complement by the chelating agent EGTA retains its activity in mediating cell adherence to the parasite. There is a significant consumption of factor B and AP of complement when infective larvae are incubated in fNHS. Consumption of C4 of the CP of complement is much lower in the same test. The adherence of macrophages cannot occur without the simultaneous presence of eosinophils, whereas eosinophils probably act alone and not in concert with macrophages. The eosinophil adherence is associated with degranulation. The damage is notably enhanced by replacing the spent eosinophil population with a newly obtained population. In the present test system, mast cells did not adhere to filarial larvae even when mast cell-rich populations were used, nor did they effect macrophage adherence when presented in association with the latter. When eosinophil-enriched cell populations containing less than 1% mast cells were used, cell adherence to filarial larvae still occurred, but the presence of 30% mast cells in such cell populations markedly increased both the rate and level of adherence. We suggest that a cell-mediated adherence and destruction dependent upon the activation of complement via AP, without a requirement for specific antibody, may represent a natural mechanism of parasite killing in a nonimmune host.

Animals↗

Schistosoma mansoni surface antigen defined by a rat monoclonal IgG2a.

A schistosomula surface antigen of 38,000 daltons has been isolated by using a rat monoclonal IgG2a that has been shown to confer protection against S. mansoni infection by passive transfer in rats. This antigen is one of the previously characterized surface proteins reacting with sera from various infected hosts, including rat, mouse, monkey, and human. Studies on parasites of different developmental stages indicated the presence of this antigen on cercariae and skin-derived or mechanically transformed schistosomula.

Animals↗

In vitro and in vivo effector function of rat IgG2a monoclonal anti-S. mansoni antibodies.

Rat IgG2a monoclonal antibodies have been produced after fusion of spleen cells from LOU/C rats infected with S. mansoni for 5 wk and IR983F nonsecreting rat myeloma cells. The cell supernatants of one particular IgG2a-producing clone (IPL Sm1) as well as ascitic fluids induced by this clone revealed anti-S. mansoni activity detected by immunofluorescence on schistosoma sections. In vitro studies of the effector function of such antibodies revealed that the rat IgG2a monoclonal antibodies mediated high levels of rat eosinophil-dependent cytotoxic effect against S. mansoni schistosomula, similar to that obtained with 5-week infected rat serum. Passive transfer experiments carried out with IPL Sm1 ascitic fluid showed a significant level of passive protection against a challenge infection. These results indicate a possible use of the monoclonal antibodies in analyzing in vivo functions of IgG2a antibodies, as well as in isolating potentially protective target antigens.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Tetrapeptides of the eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis (ECF-A) enhance eosinophil Fc receptor.

Certain mast cell products, including the tetrapeptides Ala-Gly-Ser-Glu (Ala4) and Val-Gly-Ser-Glu (Val4) of the eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis (ECF-A) and histamine, are preferentially chemotactic for eosinophils in vitro. Amino acid substitutions or modifications of the ECF-A tetrapeptides may substantially alter the chemotactic activity of human eosinophils. The cellular mechanism whereby ECF-A tetrapeptides enhance IgG-dependent killing of schistosomula by rat eosinophils is, however, unclear. We now report that the parent tetrapeptides and the substituted analogue Val-Pro-Ser-Glu (Pro3), but not histamine, increase the number of rat and human eosinophils that form rosettes with erythrocytes bearing IgG antibodies. Moreover, we find a correlation between the effect of these substances on the expression of rat eosinophil IgG Fc receptors and their capacity to increase the IgG-dependent cytotoxicity of rat eosinophils for Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula.

Animals↗

The interaction of IgE antibody with human alveolar macrophages and its participation in the inflammatory processes of lung allergy.

After the initial observation that human and animal mononuclear phagocytes can be activated into specific killer cells against larvae of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni by seric IgE antibody from infected patients, a possible interaction of IgE with human alveolar macrophages in asthmatic patients was investigated. In vitro, alveolar macrophages from non-atopic individuals can bind monoclonal IgE molecules, as well as IgE antibody from the serum of patients with respiratory allergy. A subsequent contact with anti-IgE antibody or with the specific allergen induces the extracellular release of a variety of mediators, such as lysosomal enzymes, neutral proteases, or superoxide anion. Due to the presence of allergen-specific IgE antibody on the macrophage surface in situ, the same results were obtained in vitro with freshly purified alveolar macrophages from allergic patients. Disodium cromoglycate, corticosteroids, or beta-adrenergic stimulants are strong inhibitors of this specific exocytosis of physiological mediators. The atopic cells formed rosettes with allergen-coated erythrocytes at 4 degrees C, except after pretreatment with aggregated monoclonal IgE or with the allergen.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Heat-labile and heat-stable anti-schistosomular antibodies in Kenyan schoolchildren infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Two in vitro cytotoxicity assays using 51Cr-labelled Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula were performed on serum samples collected from 91 schoolchildren infected with S. mansoni from Machakos District, Kenya. One assay, which is believed to detect IgE/antigen complexes, uses unheated serum and human monocytes; the other, believed to detect IgG antibodies, uses heat-inactivated serum and unpurified peripheral blood leucocytes. Analysis of the data was complicated because the children were drawn from two separate studies and the data was extremely variable, probably because of the manner in which infections are acquired under natural conditions. There was a strong, positive regression of intensity of infection on age of the children, and evidence that IgG, but not IgE, activity was related to intensity of infection. There was no clear-cut relationship of IgE and IgG activities with the age of the children, and little evidence of any correlation between IgE and IgG activities within individual children. The implications of this latter dissociation and the possibility of either mechanism acting as the effector mechanism for concomitant immunity in man are discussed in the light of these results.

Adolescent↗