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Potential role for excretory–secretory forms of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in Fasciola hepatica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2009

L. CERVI
Affiliation:
Parasitología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
G. ROSSI
Affiliation:
Parasitología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
D. T. MASIH
Affiliation:
Parasitología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

The excretory–secretory antigen of Fasciola hepatica (ESA) is involved in the suppressive phenomena of cellular immune responses in rats. The ESA can depress the proliferative response of spleen mononuclear cells and inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production by peritoneal cells. In the present study we identified ESA proteins of ca 24 kDa, which shared significant sequence homology to glutathione-S-transferase (GST) obtained from homogenates of F. hepatica adults, other helminths and different mammals. When the dimeric form of these proteins ca 48 kDa was cultured with rat spleen cells, a significant decrease of proliferative response to Con A was detected, starting from 20 μg/ml of ESA protein (P<0·03). We also observed a significant inhibition of nitrite production by incubation with the dimeric form in normal peritoneal macrophages (P<0·04). These results indicated that the GST secreted by the parasite could be involved in evasion of the parasite from the host immune response.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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