Members of the genus Trichostrongylus, such as T. vitrinus, being endemic in Northern Europe, are among the principal causative nematodes which contribute to parasitic gastro-enteritis in sheep world-wide, inhabiting the proximal small intestine and causing damage to the mucosa. This results in impaired nutrient absorption as well as a pronounced inflammatory response with cellular infiltration of the mucosa, including a pronounced mast cell response. These mast cells release serine proteinases that enhance the passage of effector cells and macromolecules across epithelial boundaries and into direct contact with the invading parasite. The adult and larval stages of T. vitrinus release a number of serine proteinases in vitro that may contribute to tissue invasion and nutrient acquisition in vivo. This study describes the molecular cloning and characterization of a serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin)Sequence reported here is available with GenBank Accession number Y12233. that is present in extracts of all the parasitic stages, becoming more abundant as the life-cycle progresses. The serpin is present in the in vitro excretory/secretory products (ES) of 4th-stage larval and adult parasites, being more abundant in the former. The serpin was expressed in E. coli and the recombinant protein was a potent inhibitor of several host serine proteinases including mast cell proteinases. The serpin may regulate the activity of the parasite serine proteinases or it may modulate the host immune response to the parasite by inhibiting the activity of serine proteinases released from host inflammatory cells.

We produced a recombinant protein from a cDNA library from muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis which had proteinase inhibitory activity. The predicted amino acid sequence of the clone had an identity of only 30% to the serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) from Caenorhabditis elegans or Brugia malayi. At the putative reactive region, however, the identity was about 50%. The recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli inhibited 82% of the activity of the serine proteinase (trypsin). Stage-specific expression of this protein was suggested from the following experiments. Antibody against the recombinant protein could stain proteins migrating at about 42 kDa (which is the expected size from the sequence) in crude extracts from newborn larvae and 18-day post-infection (p.i.) muscle larvae, but it failed to stain any proteins in crude extracts from 30-day p.i. muscle larvae. Production of mRNA transcript for the serpin gene was restricted largely to the newborn larvae and to 18-day p.i. muscle larvae. The antibody reacted with the stichocytes of the larvae at 18 days p.i., but did not react with the muscle larvae at 24 days and 30 days p.i.