Schistosoma mansoni: levels of antioxidants and resistance to oxidants increase during development.

The effects of cell-free generated oxidants on migrating and developing stages of Schistosoma mansoni were investigated and the levels of antioxidant enzymes and of glutathione were determined for each stage. Schistosomula and 2-week-old parasites recovered from the livers of infected mice showed similar susceptibility to killing by added hydrogen peroxide and t-butylhydroperoxide. However, when glucose (0.5 mM)-glucose oxidase (2.5 mU ml-1) and xanthine (0.5 mM) or hypoxanthine (0.5 mM)-xanthine oxidase (5.0 mU ml-1) systems were used to generate hydrogen peroxide and oxygen free-radicals, schistosomula were more susceptible to oxidative killing than the 2-week-old parasites. The 4- and 8-week-old worms were more resistant to oxidants than all of the younger stages. High levels of superoxide dismutase (16.2-24.8 U mg-1 protein) were present in all stages. Catalase was not detected. Glutathione peroxidase activity with cumene hydroperoxide as substrate was not detectable in the schistosomula but the activity was present in the 2-week-old parasites. However, hydrogen peroxide-sensitive glutathione peroxidase activity was present in all the stages with a threefold difference in activity between schistosomula and the adult stages. Glutathione-s-transferase activity was significantly lower in the schistosomula, lung stages, and the 2-week-old parasites than in the older stages. Progressive increases in the levels of glutathione reductase and glutathione were also observed with development. The differences in the levels of antioxidants between different stages of development may partly explain the increase in resistance to oxidant-mediated damage as the parasite develops.