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Stimulation of Schistosoma Mansoni Oviposition in Vitro by Animal and Human Portal Serum^*

George Y. Wu^**, Catherine H. Wu^**, Michael A. Dunn AND Refaat Kamel

^** Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06032
Department of Biochemistry, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cario, Egypt
Department of Surgery, Liver Research Unit, Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt

Coupled adult pairs of Schistosoma mansoni were incubated in medium containing either peripheral or portal serum from rat, rabbit, hamster or humans. Daily egg production was measured. In all cases egg production was significantly increased for pairs in the presence of portal sera compared with that in the presence of peripheral sera. Fractionation of rabbit portal serum according to molecular weight demonstrated that the most active component(s) were in the range of 2,000 to 50,000. These fractions were as effective in stimulating oviposition as whole portal serum. Conclusions: 1) portal serum factor(s) that stimulate S. mansoni oviposition are present in susceptible and non-susceptible hosts; 2) the molecular weight range for the active components is larger than would be expected for simple carbohydrates, amino acids or free fatty acids absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.

Accepted for publication February 27, 1985.

^* The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private ones of the authors and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the Naval Service at large.