The esophageal gland mediates host immune evasion by the human parasite <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>
Jayhun Lee, Tracy Chong, Phillip A. Newmark
Abstract
Significance Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms infecting hundreds of millions of people. As they alternate between mammalian and molluscan hosts, their survival and propagation depend upon stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Tracking the fate of these stem cells during early intramammalian development, we find that the esophageal gland, an accessory digestive organ, develops before the rest of the digestive system is formed and feeding begins, suggesting a role for this organ beyond nutrient uptake. We show that schistosomes lacking the esophageal gland die in naive mice but survive in immunodeficient mice lacking B cells; they are unable to lyse ingested immune cells before passing them into the gut. These results unveil an immune-evasion mechanism, which is essential for schistosome survival and pathogenesis.