Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-8r8nv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-07T02:34:27.150Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

ATP diphosphohydrolase from Schistosoma mansoni egg: characterization and immunocytochemical localization of a new antigen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2004

P. FARIA-PINTO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Bioquímica/ICB, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36015-400 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil Departamento de Ultraestrutura e Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
M. N. L. MEIRELLES
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ultraestrutura e Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
H. L. LENZI
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
E. M. MOTA
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
M. L. O. PENIDO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Bioquímica/ICB, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36015-400 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
P. M. Z. COELHO
Affiliation:
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, and Sta Casa de Misericórdia de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
E. G. VASCONCELOS
Affiliation:
Departamento de Bioquímica/ICB, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, 36015-400 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The fact that the Schistosoma mansoni egg has two ATP diphosphohydrolase (EC 3.6.1.5) isoforms with different net charges and an identical molecular weight of 63000, identified by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunological cross-reactivity with potato apyrase antibodies, is shown. In soluble egg antigen (SEA), only the isoform with the lower net negative charge was detected and seemed to be the predominant species in this preparation. By confocal fluorescence microscopy, using anti-potato apyrase antibodies, the S. mansoni egg ATP diphosphohydrolase was detected on the external surface of miracidium and in von Lichtenberg's envelope. Intense fluorescence was also seen in the outer side of the egg-shell, entrapped by the surface microspines, suggesting that a soluble isoform is secreted. ATP diphosphohydrolase antigenicity was tested using the vegetable protein as antigen. The purified potato apyrase was recognized in Western blots by antibodies present in sera from experimentally S. mansoni-infected mice. In addition, high levels of IgG anti-ATP diphosphohydrolase antibodies were detected by ELISA in the same sera. This work represents the first demonstration of antigenic properties of S. mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolase and immunological cross-reactivity between potato apyrase and sera from infected individuals.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Table 1. Substrate specificity

Figure 1

Fig. 1. Separation of ATP diphosphohydrolase by non-denaturing gels. Proteins from homogenized egg 2500 g supernatant (HES) or soluble egg antigen (SEA) were separated and lanes cut out from the gels were immersed in medium for activity measurements containing either ATP (A) or ADP (B) as substrate. After 12 h of incubation at 37 °C, white deposits of calcium phosphate appeared as a result of nucleotide hydrolysis catalysed by the enzyme. The gel was photographed against a dark background.

Figure 2

Fig. 2. Identification of proteins extracted from active bands on non-denaturing gels. Proteins from homogenized egg 2500 g supernatant (HES) or soluble egg antigen (SEA) were separated in non-denaturing gels (Fig. 1). Proteins (50 μg) from HES or SEA (lanes T) and electro-eluted samples of active upper (U) or lower (L) bands were separated by SDS–PAGE. For HES, the gel was stained with Coomassie blue (lanes T and U) or silver stain (lane L). For HES(Wb) and SEA(Wb), proteins were electroblotted onto nitrocellulose and developed with anti-potato apyrase antibodies (1[ratio ]1000).

Figure 3

Fig. 3. Immunocytochemical localization of ATP diphosphohydrolase from Schistosoma mansoni egg. Fluorescence confocal microscopy images are shown. Anti-potato apyrase antibodies and secondary antibody coupled to TRITC were used for fluorescence detection of ATP diphosphohydrolase on cryostat sections (10 μm thick) of infected mouse liver. (B) General aspect of S. mansoni egg showing fluorescence homogeneously distributed on external surface of miracidium (arrow 1), in the region between the miracidium and the inner side of the egg-shell (arrow 2) and immediately outside and spreading away from the egg-shell (arrow 3). (C) Granular material entrapped by the surface microspines located outside the egg-shell (arrow) and in (D), the enlargement of a region of the egg-shell surface (arrows). In (A), sections were probed with secondary antibody alone.

Figure 4

Fig. 4. Antigenicity analysis of the Schistosoma mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolase. (A) Samples (1 μg) of purified potato apyrase (I) or pooled ATP diphosphohydrolase isoforms from S. mansoni eggs (II) were separated by SDS–PAGE, and stained with Coomassie blue (I, lane 1), or electroblotted onto nitrocellulose and developed with anti-potato apyrase antibodies raised in rabbit (I, lane 2; II, lane 1), or with serum from S. mansoni-infected Swiss mice (I, lane 3; II, lane 2). (B) Reactivity of S. mansoni-infected mice sera (dilution 1[ratio ]2000) against the potato apyrase protein was assayed by ELISA. The absorbance values of the sera minus the absorbance mean of control sera (A492=0·077) plus 2 standard deviations (S.D.=0·005) are represented.