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Chuah C, Jones MK, McManus DP, Nawaratna SK, Burke ML, Owen HC, Ramm GA, Gobert GN. Characterising granuloma regression and liver recovery in a murine model of schistosomiasis japonica. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:239-52. [PMID: 26812024 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
For hepatic schistosomiasis the egg-induced granulomatous response and the development of extensive fibrosis are the main pathologies. We used a Schistosoma japonicum-infected mouse model to characterise the multi-cellular pathways associated with the recovery from hepatic fibrosis following clearance of the infection with the anti-schistosomal drug, praziquantel. In the recovering liver splenomegaly, granuloma density and liver fibrosis were all reduced. Inflammatory cell infiltration into the liver was evident, and the numbers of neutrophils, eosinophils and macrophages were significantly decreased. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the up-regulation of fatty acid metabolism genes and the identification of Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha as the upstream regulator of liver recovery. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor signalling pathway which regulates xenobiotic metabolism was also differentially up-regulated. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms associated with the regression of hepatic schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candy Chuah
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia; School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Malcolm K Jones
- School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia
| | | | - Melissa L Burke
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia
| | - Helen C Owen
- School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia
| | - Grant A Ramm
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia.
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Liu S, Zhou X, Piao X, Wu C, Hou N, Chen Q. Comparative Analysis of Transcriptional Profiles of Adult Schistosoma japonicum from Different Laboratory Animals and the Natural Host, Water Buffalo. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003993. [PMID: 26285138 PMCID: PMC4540470 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosomiasis is one of the most widely distributed parasitic diseases in the world. Schistosoma japonicum, a zoonotic parasite with a wide range of mammalian hosts, is one of the major pathogens of this disease. Although numerous studies on schistosomiasis japonica have been performed using laboratory animal models, systematic comparative analysis of whole-genome expression profiles in parasites from different laboratory animals and nature mammalian hosts is lacking to date. Methodology/Principal Findings Adult schistosomes were obtained from laboratory animals BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice, New Zealand white rabbits and the natural host, water buffaloes. The gene expression profiles of schistosomes from these animals were obtained and compared by genome-wide oligonucleotide microarray analysis. The results revealed that the gene expression profiles of schistosomes from different laboratory animals and buffaloes were highly consistent (r>0.98) genome-wide. Meanwhile, a total of 450 genes were identified to be differentially expressed in schistosomes which can be clustered into six groups. Pathway analysis revealed that these genes were mainly involved in multiple signal transduction pathways, amino acid, energy, nucleotide and lipid metabolism. We also identified a group of 1,540 abundantly and stably expressed gene products in adult worms, including a panel of 179 Schistosoma- or Platyhelminthes-specific genes that may be essential for parasitism and may be regarded as novel potential anti-parasite intervention targets for future research. Conclusions/Significance This study provides a comprehensive database of gene expression profiles of schistosomes derived from different laboratory animals and water buffaloes. An expanded number of genes potentially affecting the development of schistosomes in different animals were identified. These findings lay the foundation for schistosomiasis research in different laboratory animals and natural hosts at the transcriptional level and provide a valuable resource for screening anti-schistosomal intervention targets. The zoonotic parasite Schistosoma japonicum is one of the major pathogens of schistosomiasis and can parasitize a wide range of mammals. Although numerous schistosome transcriptional profiling studies have been performed using laboratory animal models, the differences in the global gene expression profiles of worms from different laboratory animals and natural mammalian hosts have not been characterized. Therefore, we studied the gene expression profiles of adult worms from BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice, rabbits and buffaloes using a transcriptomics approach. Our results indicate that, although the expression profiles of adult worms from different mammals are generally similar, hundreds of genes are differentially expressed, which were mainly involved in various signal transduction pathways, amino acid, energy, nucleotide and lipid metabolism. Numerous abundantly and stably expressed genes in adults were identified, including some genes that are only found in blood flukes or expanded within the phylum Platyhelminthes and may be important for parasitism. Our data provide a basis for schistosomiasis research in different mammalian hosts at the transcriptional level as well as a valuable resource for the screening of anti-schistosomal intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosu Zhou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chuang Wu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Hou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- * E-mail:
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Wang S, Hu W. Development of "-omics" research in Schistosoma spp. and -omics-based new diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:313. [PMID: 25018752 PMCID: PMC4072072 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by dioecious flatworms in the genus Schistosoma, is torturing people from many developing countries nowadays and frequently leads to severe morbidity and mortality of the patients. Praziquantel based chemotherapy and morbidity control for this disease adopted currently necessitate viable and efficient diagnostic technologies. Fortunately, those “-omics” researches, which rely on high-throughput experimental technologies to produce massive amounts of informative data, have substantially contributed to the exploitation and innovation of diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis. In its first section, this review provides a concise conclusion on the progresses pertaining to schistosomal “-omics” researches to date, followed by a comprehensive section on the diagnostic methods of schistosomiasis, especially those innovative ones based on the detection of antibodies, antigens, nucleic acids, and metabolites with a focus on those achievements inspired by “-omics” researches. Finally, suggestions about the design of future diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis are proposed, in order to better harness those data produced by “-omics” studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqi Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai, China ; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Diseases Control and Prevention Shanghai, China
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Silva-Moraes V, Ferreira JMS, Coelho PMZ, Grenfell RFQ. Biomarkers for schistosomiasis: towards an integrative view of the search for an effective diagnosis. Acta Trop 2014; 132:75-9. [PMID: 24412728 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Revised: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Human schistosomiasis, caused mainly by Schistosoma mansoni, S. japonicum, and S. hematobium, remains a prevalent and serious parasitic disease worldwide. Although it is a debilitating disease, a lack of sensitive methods for the precise diagnosis of active infection cases is important to prevent morbidity. The optimization of new diagnostic approaches may be accomplished by the selection of specific markers. In that manner, markers can be satisfactorily used for detection of different phases of infection, as acute and chronic phases, pre-patent and post-patent phases and after chemotherapy, improving the efficiency of methods. For that purpose, proteomics and glycomics analyses have been performed in schistosomes, in particular S. mansoni, using powerful high-throughput methodologies. These investigations have not only chartered protein, o-glycan and n-glycan profiles across developmental stages within mammalian host, but are also leading to the characterization of features of the surface tegument, the eggshell and excretory-secretory proteomes of schistosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Silva-Moraes
- Laboratory of Schistosomiasis, Monoclonal Antibody Facility, Research Center Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715/201, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30190-002, Brazil; Laboratory of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei, Campus Centro Oeste Dona Lindu, Rua Sebastião Gonçalves Coelho, 400, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Maria Siqueira Ferreira
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei, Campus Centro Oeste Dona Lindu, Rua Sebastião Gonçalves Coelho, 400, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho
- Laboratory of Schistosomiasis, Monoclonal Antibody Facility, Research Center Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715/201, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30190-002, Brazil
| | - Rafaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell
- Laboratory of Schistosomiasis, Monoclonal Antibody Facility, Research Center Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715/201, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30190-002, Brazil.
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New frontiers in schistosoma genomics and transcriptomics. J Parasitol Res 2012; 2012:849132. [PMID: 23227308 PMCID: PMC3512318 DOI: 10.1155/2012/849132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes are digenean blood flukes of aves and mammals comprising 23 species. Some species are causative agents of human schistosomiasis, the second major neglected disease affecting over 230 million people worldwide. Modern technologies including the sequencing and characterization of nucleic acids and proteins have allowed large-scale analyses of parasites and hosts, opening new frontiers in biological research with potential biomedical and biotechnological applications. Nuclear genomes of the three most socioeconomically important species (S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni) have been sequenced and are under intense investigation. Mitochondrial genomes of six Schistosoma species have also been completely sequenced and analysed from an evolutionary perspective. Furthermore, DNA barcoding of mitochondrial sequences is used for biodiversity assessment of schistosomes. Despite the efforts in the characterization of Schistosoma genomes and transcriptomes, many questions regarding the biology and evolution of this important taxon remain unanswered. This paper aims to discuss some advances in the schistosome research with emphasis on genomics and transcriptomics. It also aims to discuss the main challenges of the current research and to point out some future directions in schistosome studies.
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Gobert GN, You H, Jones MK, McInnes R, McManus DP. Differences in genomic architecture between two distinct geographical strains of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum reveal potential phenotype basis. Mol Cell Probes 2012; 27:19-27. [PMID: 22940009 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2012.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Revised: 08/10/2012] [Accepted: 08/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The Chinese (SjC) and Philippine (SjP) strains of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum have been shown to present clearly different phenotypes in fecundity, pathology, drug sensitivity and immunology. We used microarray based comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) to investigate structural differences in the genomes of the two strains and identified seven distinct regions of the S. japonicum genome that present differential aCGH representing either deletion or duplication regions in SjP. Within these regions, genes predicted to be associated with the recognised phenotypic differences were identified and that may provide new insights into the biology and evolution of the two strains, with implications for the epidemiology and control of schistosomiasis japonica in China and the Philippines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey N Gobert
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research-QIMR, 300 Herston Road, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia.
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Kasinathan RS, Morgan WM, Greenberg RM. Genetic knockdown and pharmacological inhibition of parasite multidrug resistance transporters disrupts egg production in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1425. [PMID: 22163059 PMCID: PMC3232217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/27/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) are ATP-dependent transporters involved in efflux of toxins and xenobiotics from cells. When overexpressed, these transporters can mediate multidrug resistance (MDR) in mammalian cells, and changes in Pgp expression and sequence are associated with drug resistance in helminths. In addition to the role they play in drug efflux, MDR transporters are essential components of normal cellular physiology, and targeting them may prove a useful strategy for development of new therapeutics or of compounds that enhance the efficacy of current anthelmintics. We previously showed that expression of Schistosoma mansoni MDR transporters increases in response to praziquantel (PZQ), the current drug of choice against schistosomiasis, and that reduced PZQ sensitivity correlates with higher levels of these parasite transporters. We have also shown that PZQ inhibits transport by SMDR2, a Pgp orthologue from S. mansoni, and that PZQ is a likely substrate of SMDR2. Here, we examine the physiological roles of SMDR2 and SmMRP1 (the S. mansoni orthologue of MRP1) in S. mansoni adults, using RNAi to knock down expression, and pharmacological agents to inhibit transporter function. We find that both types of treatments disrupt parasite egg deposition by worms in culture. Furthermore, administration of different MDR inhibitors to S. mansoni-infected mice results in a reduction in egg burden in host liver. These schistosome MDR transporters therefore appear to play essential roles in parasite egg production, and can be targeted genetically and pharmacologically. Since eggs are responsible for the major pathophysiological consequences of schistosomiasis, and since they are also the agents for transmission of the disease, these results suggest a potential strategy for reducing disease pathology and spread. Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms that are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a major tropical disease. As adults, schistosomes reside within the host vasculature, taking up nutrients, evading host defenses, and expelling wastes and toxins. Multidrug resistance transporters are involved in removal of toxins and foreign compounds, including drugs, from cells. These transporters have broad selectivity, and when upregulated or mutated, can confer resistance to a wide spectrum of drugs against mammalian tumor cells. They are also associated with drug resistance in various parasites, including helminths. In this report, we have used knockdown of expression of these proteins and pharmacological inhibition of their transport function to dissect their physiological role in the schistosome life cycle. We find that either reducing transporter expression or pharmacologically inhibiting transporter function leads to disruption of egg production by adult worms. Eggs deposited within the host are the major cause of disease pathology, and eggs excreted by the host are the means of continuation of the life cycle and transmission of the disease. The capability to interfere with schistosome egg production could have major implications for development of new treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi S. Kasinathan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - William M. Morgan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Greenberg
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Nawaratna SSK, McManus DP, Moertel L, Gobert GN, Jones MK. Gene Atlasing of digestive and reproductive tissues in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1043. [PMID: 21541360 PMCID: PMC3082511 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 03/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While considerable genomic and transcriptomic data are available for
Schistosoma mansoni, many of its genes lack significant
annotation. A transcriptomic study of individual tissues and organs of
schistosomes could play an important role in functional annotation of the
unknown genes, particularly by providing rapid localisation data and thus
giving insight into the potential roles of these molecules in parasite
development, reproduction and homeostasis, and in the complex host-parasite
interaction. Methodology/Principal Findings Quantification of gene expression in tissues of S. mansoni
was achieved by a combination of laser microdissection microscopy (LMM) and
oligonucleotide microarray analysis. We compared the gene expression profile
of the adult female gastrodermis and male and female reproductive tissues
with whole worm controls. The results revealed a total of 393 genes
(contigs) that were up-regulated two-fold or more in the gastrodermis, 4,450
in the ovary, 384 in the vitelline tissues of female parasites, and 2,171 in
the testes. We have also supplemented these data with the identification of
highly expressed genes in different regions of manually dissected male and
female S. mansoni. Though relatively crude, this dissection
strategy provides low resolution localisation data for critical regions of
the adult parasites that are not amenable to LMM isolation. Conclusions This is the first detailed transcriptomic study of the reproductive tissues
and gastrodermis of S. mansoni. The results obtained will
help direct future research on the functional aspects of these tissues,
expediting the characterisation of currently unannotated gene products of
S. mansoni and the discovery of new drug and vaccine
targets. There is currently only one drug available for treatment of
schistosomiasis mansoni and no vaccine. The searches for
possible new drug and vaccine candidates remain two major areas of current
research in schistosomiasis. There are considerable amounts of data available on
the genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics of Schistosoma
mansoni from which useful candidates for future drug and vaccine
development can be identified. Arranging these data into a biologically relevant
context through the characterisation of gene expression profiles of the
different tissues of this complex metazoan parasite, is an essential step in
identifying molecules with potential therapeutic value. We have used laser
microdissection microscopy and microarray analysis to show that many
tissue-specific genes are up-regulated in the digestive and reproductive tissues
of S. mansoni. This new knowledge provides an avenue to
investigate the molecular components associated with fundamental aspects of
schistosome biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujeevi S. K. Nawaratna
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia
- School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton,
Australia
| | | | - Luke Moertel
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia
| | - Geoffrey N. Gobert
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia
- School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton,
Australia
| | - Malcolm K. Jones
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia
- School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton,
Australia
- * E-mail:
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