Serpins are serine protease inhibitors widely expressed by parasitic helminths [1]. The filarial nematode Brugia malayi expresses two serpin genes with distinct structures, each with signal peptides. Serpin-1 is expressed by the mosquito-borne L3 larvae[2].
We characterised Serpin-2 from Brugia malayi, in which it is a major product restricted to the bloodstream microfilarial stage [3,4].
Click to open NCBI pages for the cDNA (AF009825) and/or the genomic (AF009826) sequences.
[1] Zang, X. and Maizels, R.M. (2001). Serine proteinase inhibitors from nematodes and the arms race between host and pathogen. Trends in Biochemical Sciences 26: 191-197.
[2] Yenbutr, P. and Scott, A. L. (1995). Molecular cloning of a serine proteinase inhibitor from Brugia malayi. Infection and Immunity 63, 1745–1753
[3] Zang, X.X., Yazdanbakhsh, M., Kiang, H., Kanost, M.R. and Maizels, R.M. (1999). A novel serpin expressed by the blood-borne microfilariae of the parasitic nematode Brugia malayi inhibits human neutrophil serine proteinases. Blood 94: 1418-1428.
[4] Zang, X.X., Atmadja, A.K., Gray, P., Allen, J.E., Gray, C.A., Lawrence, R.A., Yazdanbakhsh, M. and Maizels, R.M. (2000). The serpin secreted by Brugia malayi microfilariae, Bm-SPN-2, elicits strong, but short-lived, immune responses in mice and humans. Journal of Immunology 165: 5161-5169.