Proteomic profiles characteristic of Schistosoma mansoni infection in patients from two different endemic areas

ABSTRACT

Knowledge of the Schistosoma proteome may greatly enhance our understanding of its physiological and pathological processes at the molecular level and may provide new models for diagnosis and development of vaccines or drugs. Despite the importance of this approach, Schistosoma proteomic research in Egypt and Brazil is still incipient. To identify the profiles of S. mansoni serum reactive proteins [SRP] that may characterise clinically relevant subgroups of patients with schistosomiasis from two different endemic regions; Egypt and Brazil. Soluble egg antigen [SEA] and soluble worm antigen preparation [SWAP] of Egyptian and Brazilian strains of S. mansoni were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis [2-DE]. Serum samples were collected from patients with intestinal [INT] and hepatosplenic [HS] schistosomiasis from both countries. Sera were probed using 2-dimensional western blot [2-DWB] against the corresponding separated antigens proteins [i.e. Egyptian SEA and SWAP were probed separately against Egyptian sera, while Brazilian SEA and SWAP were probed separately against Brazilian sera] to determine the isoelectric focusing point [pI] and molecular weight [MW] of the SRP. Both Egyptian and Brazilian strains antigens gave similar electrophoretic patterns in their p1 amid MW, where 97 soluble proteins from SEA and 125 from SWAP were resolved by 2-DE. For SEA, 11 and 12 proteins uniquely reacted to sera of INT and US patients respectively, and 62 proteins reacted to sera from patients with concurrent INT and HS schistosomiasis. Out of 85 SEA reactive proteins; 16 were reactive to >/= 50% of sera of patients with the INT or HS clinical form of the disease. Regarding SWAP, 24 and 10 proteins uniquely reacted to sera of INT and HS patients respectively, and 35 proteins reacted to sera from patients with both clinical forms of schistosomiasis. Out of 69 SWAP reactive proteins, 6 proteins were reactive to >/= 50% of sera from Egyptian patients with INT schistosomiasis. Sera of patients from Egyptian and Brazilian populations exhibited significant differences [P=0.032] for recognition of the immune reactive proteins to SEA and SWAP in the two different clinical forms of the diseases. Further definition of reactive proteins could provide novel targets for vaccine design and therapeutic intervention. Further detailed studies on large population scale are recommended to correlate different proteomic data among different clinical forms of schistosomiasis in an attempt to generate a vaccine valuable in schistosomiasis control in endemic areas