Fig. 3: M. fortis macrophages are involved in mediating adherence and killing of schistosomes in vitro and in vivo. | Cell Discovery

Fig. 3: M. fortis macrophages are involved in mediating adherence and killing of schistosomes in vitro and in vivo.

From: Macrophage-mediated trogocytosis contributes to destroying human schistosomes in a non-susceptible rodent host, Microtus fortis

Fig. 3: M. fortis macrophages are involved in mediating adherence and killing of schistosomes in vitro and in vivo.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Representative images of mouse and M. fortis macrophages adhering to schistosomula of S. japonicum after incubation for 12 and 24 h in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% non-heat-inactivated FBS in vitro. The arrows indicate macrophages adhering to schistosomula. Scale bars, 100 μm. b, c The number of cells adhering to S. japonicum schistosomula (b) and the schistosomula killing rates (c) after co-culture with macrophages from BALB/c mice and M. fortis for 12 and 24 h. The data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of three animals per group. Data are representative of three independent experiments. d Schematic illustration of the clodronate liposome-mediated macrophage depletion protocol. e Representative electron micrographs of leukocyte attachment on S. japonicum in M. fortis treated with PBS or clodronate at 13- and 20-day post-infection. RBC red blood cell, WBC white blood cell, S spine, SP sensory papillae. f Number of leukocytes adhering to S. japonicum that can be observed under SEM. g Worm load in M. fortis treated with PBS- or clodronate- liposomes at 13-, 20- and 28-day post-infection. The data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of five animals per group. h Micrographs of representative S. japonicum from M. fortis treated with PBS- or clodronate- liposome. N, no worms were found (eliminated by the host). Scale bars, 5 mm. i Comparison of the size of S. japonicum at the indicated times post-infection in M. fortis treated with PBS or clodronate. j Morphological analysis of the reproductive organs of S. japonicum at 13-, 20- and 28-day post-infection in M. fortis treated with PBS or clodronate. The worms were stained with hydrochloric carmine and observed under a light microscope (Upper) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (Lower). ♂, male worms; ♀, female worms. t, testicular lobules; so, spermatocytes; sv, seminal vesicle; o, ovary; oo, oocytes; s, sperm; e, egg. N, none detected. k Eggs of S. japonicum deposited in the liver of 1 out of 10 M. fortis treated with clodronate. The yellow arrow indicates the eggs of S. japonicum. n = 5 M. fortis per group. Data shown are mean ± SEM and repeated twice with similar results.

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