A study of proteases throughout the life cycle of Trichinella spiralis.

In the present report we study the proteolytic activity of the excretion-secretion and crude extracts of different stages of Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835) Railliet, 1895, (muscle-stage larvae, adult worms before and after mating, and newborn larvae) using natural substrates (structural and hematic mammalian proteins). The analysis of the results allow us to set up a certain stage-specificity, as well as an important relationship between the protease patterns throughout the parasite life cycle and how the parasite may overcome both mechanical and humoral barriers within the host. Muscle-stage larvae present a great activity against structural proteins (collagen), while newborn larvae and adult worms degrade principally hematic proteins (hemoglobin, fibrinogen and immunoglobulin G).