A role for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in early post-embryonic development of Schistosoma mansoni

The importance of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) to Schistosoma mansoni miracidium to mother-sporocyst development was investigated. Western blotting revealed that phosphorylation (activation) of p38 MAPK was low in larvae after 4h development in vitro but increased markedly during transformation, with ∼2.7- and ∼3.7-fold increases after 19h and 28h culture, respectively. Immunohistochemistry of larvae undergoing transformation revealed activated p38 MAPK associated with regions including the tegument, neural mass and germinal cells. Inhibition of larval p38 MAPK with SB203580 reduced significantly the rate of development of miracidia to mother sporocysts, whereas activation of p38 MAPK with anisomycin had the opposite effect. These results provide insight into p38 MAPK signalling in schistosomes and support a role for p38 MAPK in the early post-embryonic development of S. mansoni.