Vaccination against Schistosoma mansoni infection using 74 kDa Schistosomaprotein antigen

An IgG(2a) anti-Schistosoma mansoni mouse monoclonal antibody was shown to passively protect SH iss mice. The 74 kDa target antigen was isolated from antigenic extracts of S. mansoni adult worms. Swiss and C57 BL/6J mice were immunized with 30, 50, 100 and 200 mu g antigen/mouse doses with and witho ut Freund's adjuvant. Sera of immunized mice showed high reactivity against 74 kDa antigen. The highest protection level (76.6% in Swiss mice and 50.1 % in C57 BL/6J mice) was obtained using the 50 mu g antigen dose with and w ithout Freund's adjuvant. A marked reduction in granuloma number and intens ity of collagen and reticular granuloma fibers was observed. The 74 kDa ant igen has the ability to protect mice of different strains and to modulate t he host immune system. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.