Schistosoma mansoni: degradation of host extracellular matrix by eggs and miracidia

A radioactively labeled in vitro model of the extracellular matrix of the mammalian intestinal wall and of snail tissue was used to determine whether proteolytic enzymes released by eggs and miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni could degrade connective tissue macromolecules in the type of interactive framework found in vivo. Eggs were collected and miracidia hatched in the presence of antibiotics to eliminate bacterial contamination. Uninfected livers were used as controls to ensure that the tissue dissociation and egg collection procedures did not produce proteolytic activity. One thousand live eggs incubated with the extracellular matrix for 72 hr at 37 C degraded 31% of the glycoprotein in the matrix; there was no degradation of elastin or collagen. Medium conditioned by incubation with eggs degraded 60% as much of the matrix as the live eggs themselves. The proteolytic activity of the egg-conditioned medium was greater in the presence of dithiothreitol. Miracidia incubated with the extracellular matrix in tissue culture medium at 27 or 37 C rapidly transformed to living sporocysts. This transformation was accompanied by a release of proteolytic activity, resulting in the degradation of 49 to 58% of the glycoprotein in the extracellular matrix by 1000 miracidia. Again, no elastin or collagen was degraded. The time course of degradation by miracidia was rapid over 24 hr and thus similar to that previously reported for cercariae. Degradation by eggs occurred more slowly over 72 hr. These data confirm that both eggs and miracidia secrete proteinases which are capable of degrading at least the glycoprotein components of extracellular matrix to facilitate their migration through intestinal wall or penetration of snail tissue.