OBJECTIVE: To explore the immunological characteristics of natural resistance to Schistosoma japonicum infection in Microtus fortis (MF) living in the Dongting Lake area. METHODS: Passive transfer of sera from uninfected laboratory bred MF (BMF) to albinao mice (AM) was performed to observe the acquired protection. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunoblotting (ELIB) methods were used to recognize 4 different life-cycle stage antigens of S. japonicum by sera from wild MF (WMF), BMF, BMF13 and BMF19. Tests were also performed on in vitro killing effect of sera and/or lymphocytes from BMF and WMF to schistosomulae; quantitative determination of C3 and C4 by immunoturbidometry, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and antibodies to the 4 stage antigens in sera from WMF, BMF and infected BMF by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, stool eggs per gram (EPG) of AM in the test group was significantly reduced by 81.54%, miracidium hatching rate, by 50.67%, liver egg counts, by 72.07%, the diameter of hepatic egg granuloma, by 70.39 microns. Western blotting probed with the 4 MF sera all revealed 7 specific bands for SSA, 3 for AWA and SEA, but none for CA antigens. The sera and/or lymphocytes from WMF and BMF gave obvious killing effects on schistosomulae with an adjusted death rate of 64.12%-78.83%. The levels of "natural antibodies" produced by MF to S. japonicum were in the following order: anti-SSA > anti-AWA > anti-SEA > anti-CA, all of which increased significantly after the infection. Serum levels of C3, C4 and IL-4 in uninfected BMF were significantly higher than those in AM. After infection, levels of C3 and C4 were further increased respectively by 72.83% and 295.49% in the 4th week and IL-4 by 303.83% in the 9th day. CONCLUSIONS: Immunological characteristics of innate resistance in M. fortis to S. japonicum infection were existed with no significant difference between WMF and BMF.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the immunological characteristics of natural resistance to Schistosoma japonicum infection in Microtus fortis (MF) living in the Dongting Lake area. METHODS: Passive transfer of sera from uninfected laboratory bred MF (BMF) to albinao mice (AM) was performed to observe the acquired protection. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunoblotting (ELIB) methods were used to recognize 4 different life-cycle stage antigens of S. japonicum by sera from wild MF (WMF), BMF, BMF13 and BMF19. Tests were also performed on in vitro killing effect of sera and/or lymphocytes from BMF and WMF to schistosomulae; quantitative determination of C3 and C4 by immunoturbidometry, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and antibodies to the 4 stage antigens in sera from WMF, BMF and infected BMF by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, stool eggs per gram (EPG) of AM in the test group was significantly reduced by 81.54%, miracidium hatching rate, by 50.67%, liver egg counts, by 72.07%, the diameter of hepatic egg granuloma, by 70.39 microns. Western blotting probed with the 4 MF sera all revealed 7 specific bands for SSA, 3 for AWA and SEA, but none for CA antigens. The sera and/or lymphocytes from WMF and BMF gave obvious killing effects on schistosomulae with an adjusted death rate of 64.12%-78.83%. The levels of "natural antibodies" produced by MF to S. japonicum were in the following order: anti-SSA > anti-AWA > anti-SEA > anti-CA, all of which increased significantly after the infection. Serum levels of C3, C4 and IL-4 in uninfected BMF were significantly higher than those in AM. After infection, levels of C3 and C4 were further increased respectively by 72.83% and 295.49% in the 4th week and IL-4 by 303.83% in the 9th day. CONCLUSIONS: Immunological characteristics of innate resistance in M. fortis to S. japonicum infection were existed with no significant difference between WMF and BMF.