Detection for cross-reactive proteins in filarial worm Setaria equina, MCF-7 human breast cancer, and Huh-7 hepatoma cells

Parasites revive hope for cancer therapy

Parasites have attained a life-long stigma of being detrimental organisms with deleterious outcomes. Yet, recently, a creditable twist was verified that can dramatically change our perception of those parasites from being a source of misery to millions of people to a useful anti-cancerous tool. Various parasites have shown promise to combat cancer in different experimental models, including colorectal, lung, and breast cancers, among others. Helminths and protozoan parasites, as well as their derivatives such as Echinococcus granulosus protein KI-1, Toxoplasma gondii GRA15II, and Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin, have demonstrated the ability to inhibit tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This article provides an overview of the literature on various cancer types that have shown promising responses to parasite therapy in both in vitro and in vivo animal studies. Parasites have shown anti-neoplastic activity through a variety of mechanisms that collectively contribute to their anti-cancer properties. These include immunomodulation, inhibition of angiogenesis, and molecular mimicry with cancer cells. This review article sheds light on this intriguing emerging field and emphasizes the value of collaborative multidisciplinary research projects with funding agencies and pharmaceutical companies. Thus, these strategies would secure continuous exploration of this new avenue and accelerate the advancement of cancer therapy research. Although experimental studies are heavily conducted by leaps and bounds, further steps are definitely lagging. Upgrading research from the experimental level to the clinical trial would be a wise progression toward efficient exploitation of the anti-neoplastic capabilities of parasites, ultimately saving countless lives.

Cytokines and immunoglobulin g response in donkeys with spontaneous Setaria equine infection

Setaria equina (S. equina) is a filarial worm that exists in peritoneal cavity of equines. This study aimed to evaluate cytokine mediators tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses in spontaneously S. equina infected and non-infected donkeys with emphasis on choosing the best antigen that could be used in diagnosis of such filarial infection. A total of 87 donkeys were examined. Two S. equina antigens: crude somatic S. equina antigen (CSS) and excretory secretory S. equina antigen (ESS) were prepared. They were evaluated in diagnosis of the infection using indirect ELISA and electrophoretically characterised through sodium dodecyl sulphate poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting technique. The results indicated that both TNF-α and IL-4 in the serum of infected donkeys were significantly higher compared with the non-infected group at P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively. However, the IL-4 level of infected donkeys was significantly higher than that of TNF-a (P<0.01). Apparent prevalence, specificity and positive predictive values (96.55%, 100%, and 100% each) of CSS showed higher diagnostic accuracy than that of ESS. In addition, electrophoretic protein profile and IgG reactivity of CSS antigen via western blot presented a prominent reactive protein band at 28 kDa. It was concluded that the CSS antigen was the best antigen that could be used in serodiagnosis of S. equina infection. The cytokine responses were explored in order to differentiate infected from non-infected donkeys.