Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a major health hazard in many regions of the world. Techniques for the diagnosis of the disease are not yet satisfactory.
The aims of this proposal are to isolate and purify a specific enzyme of the adult worm of Schistosoma mansoni and to study its biochemical and immunological properties and to determine its utility in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. This enzyme is an acidic thiol-dependent proteinase, which may function in the nutrition of the worm, by digestion of host hemoglobin. The enzyme is periodically regurgitated into the host's circulation. The first objective of this proposal is to purify this proteinase to homogeneity, to determine its physical and chemical properties and to obtain specific substrates and inhibitors for the enzyme. The second objective is to determine the utility of the enzyme in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Specific proteinase substrates and inhibitors will be used to test chemically for the presence of enzyme in sera. The third objective is to study the role of the proteinase in schistosome physiology and metabolism by determining the appearance of this enzyme during development, and to study its action on specific host proteins including hemoglobin and immunoglobins.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Unknown (R22)
Project #
5R22AI015864-06
Application #
3444502
Study Section
Tropical Medicine and Parasitology Study Section (TMP)
Project Start
1979-05-01
Project End
1986-02-28
Budget Start
1985-03-01
Budget End
1986-02-28
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
074615394
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030

  Publications

Monroy, F P; Dresden, M H (1996) The developmental expression of cysteine proteinases in Schistosoma mansoni. Int J Parasitol 26:109-12
Yoshino, T P; Lodes, M J; Rege, A A et al. (1993) Proteinase activity in miracidia, transformation excretory-secretory products, and primary sporocysts of Schistosoma mansoni. J Parasitol 79:23-31
Rege, A A; Wang, W; Dresden, M H (1992) Cysteine proteinases from Schistosoma haematobium adult worms. J Parasitol 78:16-23
Chappell, C L; Dresden, M H; Gryseels, B et al. (1990) Antibody response to Schistosoma mansoni adult worm cysteine proteinases in infected individuals. Am J Trop Med Hyg 42:335-41
Chappell, C L; Hackel, J; Davis, A H (1989) Cloned Schistosoma mansoni proteinase (hemoglobinase) as a putative serodiagnostic reagent. J Clin Microbiol 27:196-8
Zerda, K S; Dresden, M H; Chappell, C L (1988) Schistosoma mansoni: expression and role of cysteine proteinases in developing schistosomula. Exp Parasitol 67:238-46
Chappell, C L; Kalter, D C; Dresden, M H (1988) The hypersensitivity response to the adult worm proteinase, SMw32, in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Am J Trop Med Hyg 39:463-8
Chappell, C L; Dresden, M H (1988) Antibody response to a purified parasite proteinase (SMw32) in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Am J Trop Med Hyg 39:66-73
Chappell, C L; Dresden, M H; Walters, D W (1987) Glutathione activation of a cysteine proteinase from Schistosoma mansoni. Biochim Biophys Acta 913:335-41
Chappell, C L; Dresden, M H (1987) Purification of cysteine proteinases from adult Schistosoma mansoni. Arch Biochem Biophys 256:560-8

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