Protective immunity against Schistosoma japonicum infection can be provided by IgG antibodies towards periodate-sensitive or periodate-resistant glycans

BACKGROUND: It has been well accepted that glycans present in schistosomes are highly antigenic. However, it is not clear what kind of worm glycans can affect the infected host to mount IgG responses and whether mounted anti-glycan IgG responses are protective. METHODS: The contribution of antigenicity by glycans was measured by using competitive ELISA assay in sera from infected mice and humans. Monoclonal antibodies towards soluble Schistosoma japonicum egg antigens (SjEA) were generated from SjEA immunizated mice. The expression of glycans on surfaces of cercaria or young worm and their distributions were examined by immunofluorescence assay. The protective roles of glycans-specific mAbs were assayed by determination of the worm and egg burden in infected mice. RESULTS: Both periodate-resistant glycans and periodate-sensitive glycans are antigenic in schistosome infections. When monoclonal antibodies against either periodate-sensitive or periodate-resistant glycans were administered prior to schistosome infections in mice, both kinds of anti-glycan antibodies were found to successfully provide protective immunity to infected mice. CONCLUSIONS: Both periodate-resistant and periodate-sensitive glycans are antigenic, and dominant anti-glycan IgG responses can play important roles in protective immunity in schistosome infected hosts. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0842-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.