Immunoglobulin uptake and processing by Schistosoma mansoni

SUMMARY Intravascular Schistosoma mansoni worms seem to take up immunoglobulins from blood by surface Fc‐receptors, but the process whereby bound immunoglobulins are processed by the parasite is poorly understood. We here present morphological data suggesting that two distinct main processes are involved: Host immunoglobulins were seen at two distinct locations in the parasite: in the frontal part of the enteric tube, the oesophagus, and as a fine granular staining at the surface and in the subtegumental region. The latter staining pattern corresponds to host immunoglobulin localization in discrete organelle‐like aggregates tentatively identified as ‘discoid or elongate bodies’ at the ultrastructural level using immunogold staining. Immunoglobulin uptake by intravascular worms was also demonstrated in vivo after passive administration of 125I‐labelled rabbit and mouse immunoglobulins. Radiolabelled immunoglobulins were taken up by the worms and shown to localize as fine strands running perpendicular to the parasite surface. Our results suggest that intravascular schistosomes take up host immunoglobulins both as part of their enteric digestion and by a surface Fc‐receptor‐mediated mechanism, involving transport and processing within organelles, ‘elongate bodies’. Immunoglobulins taken up by intravascular schistosomes form a distinct organelle‐like granules, which seem to be processed within the excretory system of the parasite.