Sm16, A Schistosoma mansoni Immunomodulatory Protein, Fails to Elicit a Protective Immune Response and Does Not Have an Essential Role in Parasite Survival in the Definitive Host

Figure 2

Expression and location of native Schistosoma mansoni Sm16. (a) 10 μg of total protein extract from S. mansoni cercariae (1), 3-hour schistosomula (2), 7-day schistosomula (3), adult worms (4), and eggs (5) were electrophoresed in a 15% SDS-PAGE and stained by Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250 or blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes for Western blot analysis using serum from mice immunized with the recombinant Sm16 protein. Densitometric analysis was performed using the ImageJ software, and the Coomassie Blue-stained SDS-PAGE gel was used to normalize protein loading. (b) Transformed schistosomula were maintained in culture for 90 min, 3 hrs, or 7 days and were incubated with control serum, from mice inoculated with saline+CFA/IFA, or with serum from mice immunized with rSm16+CFA/IFA. Antibody reactivity to Sm16 was detected by a PE-conjugated rat anti-mouse IgG1 antibody. The schistosomula were observed by fluorescence microscopy using a LSM 510 Carl Zeiss microscope.

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