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Analysis of antibody responses to schistosome glycan antigens during the course of Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice

Schistosomes are parasitic helminths of the genus Schistosoma that cause the vascular disease Schistosomiasis. Previous studies show that the major antibody responses to schistosome infections are directed against glycans, making these molecules potential targets for the development of vaccines. We are developing monoclonal antibodies to these antigens from spleens of infected mice. Twelve mice were infected with 25–30 cercariae and the antibody responses were monitored over the period of 14 weeks. IgM responses start at week 4 post infection, peak at week 8, and remained high during the course of the study. IgG responses start at week 6, peak at week 11, and remained high during the course of the study. Interestingly, the IgG responses to antigens were sensitive to periodate oxidation only up to week 10 post infection and became progressively resistant to periodate oxidation thereafter. This was confirmed by analyzing infected mice sera against three defined Schistosome glycan antigens. Taken together, IgM responses to glycan antigens persist throughout the course of infection while IgG responses switch from anti‐glycan responses to non‐glycan responses in the later stages of infection. Thus, there is a narrow window of time for harvesting spleens from infected mice for generation of IgG monoclonal antibodies to glycan antigens. Supported by grants T34GM008411 and 5 S06 GM078091‐04.