Table 1.

Fate of schistosomes and pathology associated with infection after infection of mice with three-hour-old schistosomula transformed with dsRNA. After electroporation with 10 μg dsRNA, schistosomules were injected into the thigh muscle of Balb/c mice (~500 parasites per mouse). The mice were euthanized and worms recovered by portal perfusion 60 days after infection. Livers were removed, the gross appearance examined, and the livers were digested with collagenase to recover schistosome eggs.

dsRNA introduced	Number of schistosomula injected into each mouse	Number of mice infected	Total number of worms recovered	Survival percentage of schistosomes (%)	Gross liver pathology	Eggs recovered from liver
LAP1*	~500	3	≥2	0.13	hepatomegaly; granulomas	+
LAP2*	~500	3	≥4	0.26	hepatomegaly; granulomas	+
LAPs 1 and 2	~500	3	≥10	0.67	hepatomegaly; granulomas	+
luciferase	~500	3	≥7	0.46	hepatomegaly; granulomas	+
cathepsin D	~500	3	0	0	normal	-

^*LAP1 = leucine aminopeptidase 1; LAP2 = leucine aminopeptidase 2