The phospholipid and fatty acid composition of Schistosoma mansoni and of its purified tegumental membranes

Abstract

The lipid compositions of mature male and female Schistosoma mansoni and cercariae were compared to that of the hepato-pancreas of unparasitised Biomphalaria globrata (the intermediate snail host), and of red blood cells and sera of hamsters (the mammalian host). Membranes were isolated from the tegument of mature schistosomes by spontaneous release into phosphate-buffered saline, with or without vortexing, and by removal from the parasite's surface using poly-lysine beads. The phospholipid composition of the membranes prepared by the three methods showed a typical plasma membrane-like profile, with high sphingomyelin content (approximately 20%) and cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio (0.7-1.1). The fatty acid compositions of the resolved phospholipid classes were analysed. Although the composition was in general unremarkable, a high content of eicosaenoic acid (20:1), rarely found in mammals, was noted in whole schistosomes, cercariae, the hepato-pancreas of unparasitised Biomphalaria, and the isolated tegumental membranes. Eicosaenoic acid was also found in adults of Schistosoma japonicum. Host serum lipids from normal and parasitised hamsters contained extremely low amounts of eicosaenoic acid, indicating that this fatty acid is probably continually synthesised by the parasite, probably from preformed fatty acid precursors provided by the host.