Acquisition of Human Antigens by Schistosoma mansoni during Cultivation in vitro (original) (raw)

• Letter
• Published: 27 August 1971

Nature volume 232, pages 653–654 (1971)Cite this article

• 227 Accesses
• 98 Citations
• Metrics details

Abstract

Schistosoma mansoni may live in the portal circulation of man for many years. In the rhesus monkey, established adult worms persist even though their presence stimulates a powerful host immunity against reinfection with cercariae1. We have suggested that this concomitant immunity may be explained if the adult worms possess host antigens2; such an immunological disguise would allow these established worms to evade the efferent component of the host's immune response which kills new invading forms lacking the disguise. The existence of these host antigens at the surface of the worms has been demonstrated by transferring worms, grown to maturity in mice, directly into the portal circulation of rhesus monkeys immunized against mouse erythrocytes. Such mouse worms are rapidly destroyed by an antibody-mediated response directed against sites on the worms' surface; mouse worms survive well on transfer to normal monkeys3.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

• Purchase on SpringerLink
• Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

• Log in
• Learn about institutional subscriptions
• Read our FAQs
• Contact customer support

Similar content being viewed by others

References

1. Smithers, S. R., and Terry, R. J., Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 61, 517 (1967).
   Article CAS Google Scholar
2. Smithers, S. R., and Terry, R. J., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 160, 826 (1969).
   Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
3. Smithers, S. R., Terry, R. J., and Hockley, D. J., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 171, 483 (1969).
   Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
4. Clegg, J. A., Smithers, S. R., and Terry, R. J., Parasitology, 61, 87 (1970).
   Article CAS Google Scholar
5. Clegg, J. A., Smithers, S. R., and Terry, R. J., Intern. J. Parasitol., 1, 43 (1970).
   Article Google Scholar
6. Capron, A., Biguet, J., Vernes, A., and Afchain, D., Path.-Biol., 16, 121 (1968).
   CAS Google Scholar
7. Smithers, S. R., and Terry, R. J., Parasitology, 55, 695 (1965).
   Article CAS Google Scholar
8. Clegg, J. A., Exp. Parasitol., 16, 133 (1965).
   Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. National Institute for Medical Research, London, NW7 1AA
   J. A. CLEGG & S. R. SMITHERS
2. Brunel University, London, W3 9BX
   R. J. TERRY

Authors

1. J. A. CLEGG
2. S. R. SMITHERS
3. R. J. TERRY

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CLEGG, J., SMITHERS, S. & TERRY, R. Acquisition of Human Antigens by Schistosoma mansoni during Cultivation in vitro.Nature 232, 653–654 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/232653a0

Download citation

• Received: 13 May 1971
• Issue date: 27 August 1971
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/232653a0

This article is cited by