Echinostoma caproni in mice: shedding of antigens from the surface of an intestinal trematode.

The surface antigens, which induce a serum antibody response during infection of mice with the intestinal trematode Echinostoma caproni, were examined. It was demonstrated that antigens are shed from the surface of juvenile and 4-week old adult E. caproni during in vitro culture. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis of in vitro shed and detergent solubilized surface antigens indicated that the four major antigens released from the surface of adult parasites had molecular masses of approximately 26,000, 66,000, 75,000 and 88,000. A modified ELISA technique showed the in vitro turn-over rate of the surface antigens to be very high, with a half-life of 8-15 min in both juvenile and adult E. caproni trematodes. Transmission electron microscopy of the surface of adult parasites revealed a highly active secreting tegument which was densely packed with membrane-bound vesicles, reflecting the high rate of shedding of the surface antigens. An attempt to immunize mice with detergent solubilized adult surface antigens failed to induce resistance to infection with metacercariae of E. caproni.