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Taylor DJ, Barnhart MH. Genomic transfers help to decipher the ancient evolution of filoviruses and interactions with vertebrate hosts. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011864. [PMID: 39226335 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Although several filoviruses are dangerous human pathogens, there is conflicting evidence regarding their origins and interactions with animal hosts. Here we attempt to improve this understanding using the paleoviral record over a geological time scale, protein structure predictions, tests for evolutionary maintenance, and phylogenetic methods that alleviate sources of bias and error. We found evidence for long branch attraction bias in the L gene tree for filoviruses, and that using codon-specific models and protein structural comparisons of paleoviruses ameliorated conflict and bias. We found evidence for four ancient filoviral groups, each with extant viruses and paleoviruses with open reading frames. Furthermore, we found evidence of repeated transfers of filovirus-like elements to mouse-like rodents. A filovirus-like nucleoprotein ortholog with an open reading frame was detected in three subfamilies of spalacid rodents (present since the Miocene). We provide evidence that purifying selection is acting to maintain amino acids, protein structure and open reading frames in these elements. Our finding of extant viruses nested within phylogenetic clades of paleoviruses informs virus discovery methods and reveals the existence of Lazarus taxa among RNA viruses. Our results resolve a deep conflict in the evolutionary framework for filoviruses and reveal that genomic transfers to vertebrate hosts with potentially functional co-options have been more widespread than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek J Taylor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Max H Barnhart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
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2
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Jiang S, Chai HH, Fang XL, Xu HS, Li TW, Tang QS, Gu JF, Zhang KJ, Liu XY, Shi ZF, Cao XP, Wu ZY, Zhou LF. Double-modified oncolytic adenovirus armed with a recombinant interferon-like gene enhanced abscopal effects against malignant glioma. Neurooncol Adv 2023; 5:vdad117. [PMID: 37841695 PMCID: PMC10572777 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The development of new therapies for malignant gliomas has been stagnant for decades. Through the promising outcomes in clinical trials of oncolytic virotherapy, there is now a glimmer of hope in addressing this situation. To further enhance the antitumor immune response of oncolytic viruses, we have equipped a modified oncolytic adenovirus (oAds) with a recombinant interferon-like gene (YSCH-01) and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the safety and efficacy of this modification compared to existing treatments. Methods To assess the safety of YSCH-01, we administered the oAds intracranially to Syrian hamsters, which are susceptible to adenovirus. The efficacy of YSCH-01 in targeting glioma was evaluated through in vitro and in vivo experiments utilizing various human glioma cell lines. Furthermore, we employed a patient-derived xenograft model of recurrent glioblastoma to test the effectiveness of YSCH-01 against temozolomide. Results By modifying the E1A and adding survivin promoter, the oAds have demonstrated remarkable safety and an impressive ability to selectively target tumor cells. In animal models, YSCH-01 exhibited potent therapeutic efficacy, particularly in terms of its distant effects. Additionally, YSCH-01 remains effective in inhibiting the recurrent GBM patient-derived xenograft model. Conclusions Our initial findings confirm that a double-modified oncolytic adenovirus armed with a recombinant interferon-like gene is both safe and effective in the treatment of malignant glioma. Furthermore, when utilized in combination with a targeted therapy gene strategy, these oAds exhibit a more profound effect in tumor therapy and an enhanced ability to inhibit tumor growth at remote sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Jiang
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Hui Chai
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Xian-Long Fang
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Hou-Shi Xu
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-Wen Li
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi-Sheng Tang
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Fa Gu
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Kang-Jian Zhang
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Xinyuan Institute of Medicine and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Feng Shi
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Ping Cao
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Zan-Yi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Liang-Fu Zhou
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Neurosurgical Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
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3
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Harris RA, Raveendran M, Lyfoung DT, Sedlazeck FJ, Mahmoud M, Prall TM, Karl JA, Doddapaneni H, Meng Q, Han Y, Muzny D, Wiseman RW, O'Connor DH, Rogers J. Construction of a new chromosome-scale, long-read reference genome assembly for the Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Gigascience 2022; 11:6594469. [PMID: 35640223 PMCID: PMC9155146 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) has been suggested as a useful mammalian model for a variety of diseases and infections, including infection with respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The MesAur1.0 genome assembly was generated in 2013 using whole-genome shotgun sequencing with short-read sequence data. Current more advanced sequencing technologies and assembly methods now permit the generation of near-complete genome assemblies with higher quality and greater continuity. FINDINGS Here, we report an improved assembly of the M. auratus genome (BCM_Maur_2.0) using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing to produce a chromosome-scale assembly. The total length of the new assembly is 2.46 Gb, similar to the 2.50-Gb length of a previous assembly of this genome, MesAur1.0. BCM_Maur_2.0 exhibits significantly improved continuity, with a scaffold N50 that is 6.7 times greater than MesAur1.0. Furthermore, 21,616 protein-coding genes and 10,459 noncoding genes are annotated in BCM_Maur_2.0 compared to 20,495 protein-coding genes and 4,168 noncoding genes in MesAur1.0. This new assembly also improves the unresolved regions as measured by nucleotide ambiguities, where ∼17.11% of bases in MesAur1.0 were unresolved compared to BCM_Maur_2.0, in which the number of unresolved bases is reduced to 3.00%. CONCLUSIONS Access to a more complete reference genome with improved accuracy and continuity will facilitate more detailed, comprehensive, and meaningful research results for a wide variety of future studies using Syrian hamsters as models.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muthuswamy Raveendran
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dustin T Lyfoung
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Fritz J Sedlazeck
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Medhat Mahmoud
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Trent M Prall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Julie A Karl
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Harshavardhan Doddapaneni
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qingchang Meng
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yi Han
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Donna Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Roger W Wiseman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - David H O'Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Correspondence address. Jeffrey Rogers, Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Tel.: 713-798-7783; E-mail:
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Banerjee G, Shokeen K, Chakraborty N, Agarwal S, Mitra A, Kumar S, Banerjee P. Modulation of immune response in Ebola virus disease. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 60:158-167. [PMID: 34425392 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Ebola virus disease targets and destroys immune cells, including macrophages and dendritic cells, leading to impairment of host response. After infection, a combination of strategies including alteration and evasion of immune response culminating in a strong inflammatory response can lead to multi-organ failure and death in most infected patients. This review discusses immune response dynamics, mainly focusing on how Ebola manipulates innate and adaptive immune responses and strategizes to thwart host immune responses. We also discuss the challenges and prospects of developing therapeutics and vaccines against Ebola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goutam Banerjee
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Kamal Shokeen
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Nilanjan Chakraborty
- Department of Microbiology, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700126, India
| | - Saumya Agarwal
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Arindam Mitra
- Department of Microbiology, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700126, India.
| | - Sachin Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
| | - Pratik Banerjee
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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5
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Phillips LM, Li S, Gumin J, Daou M, Ledbetter D, Yang J, Singh S, Parker Kerrigan BC, Hossain A, Yuan Y, Gomez-Manzano C, Fueyo J, Lang FF. An immune-competent, replication-permissive Syrian Hamster glioma model for evaluating Delta-24-RGD oncolytic adenovirus. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:1911-1921. [PMID: 34059921 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oncolytic adenoviruses are promising new treatments against solid tumors, particularly for glioblastoma (GBM), and preclinical models are required to evaluate the mechanisms of efficacy. However, due to the species selectivity of adenovirus, there is currently no single animal model that supports viral replication, tumor oncolysis, and a virus-mediated immune response. To address this gap, we took advantage of the Syrian hamster to develop the first intracranial glioma model that is both adenovirus replication-permissive and immunocompetent. METHODS We generated hamster glioma stem-like cells (hamGSCs) by transforming hamster neural stem cells with hTERT, simian virus 40 large T antigen, and h-RasV12. Using a guide-screw system, we generated an intracranial tumor model in the hamster. The efficacy of the oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD was assessed by survival studies, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS In vitro, hamster GSCs supported viral replication and were susceptible to Delta-24-RGD mediated cell death. In vivo, hamster GSCs consistently developed into highly proliferative tumors resembling high-grade glioma. Flow cytometric analysis of hamster gliomas revealed significantly increased T cell infiltration in Delta-24-RGD infected tumors, indicative of immune activation. Treating tumor-bearing hamsters with Delta-24-RGD led to significantly increased survival compared to hamsters treated with PBS. CONCLUSIONS This adenovirus-permissive, immunocompetent hamster glioma model overcomes the limitations of previous model systems and provides a novel platform in which to study the interactions between tumor cells, the host immune system, and oncolytic adenoviral therapy; understanding of which will be critical to implementing oncolytic adenovirus in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynette M Phillips
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Shoudong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Joy Gumin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Marc Daou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Daniel Ledbetter
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Sanjay Singh
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Brittany C Parker Kerrigan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Anwar Hossain
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Candelaria Gomez-Manzano
- The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Juan Fueyo
- The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Frederick F Lang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.,The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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6
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Longet S, Mellors J, Carroll MW, Tipton T. Ebolavirus: Comparison of Survivor Immunology and Animal Models in the Search for a Correlate of Protection. Front Immunol 2021; 11:599568. [PMID: 33679690 PMCID: PMC7935512 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.599568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola viruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the Filoviridae family and can cause Ebola virus disease (EVD), a serious haemorrhagic illness with up to 90% mortality. The disease was first detected in Zaire (currently the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1976. Since its discovery, Ebola virus has caused sporadic outbreaks in Africa and was responsible for the largest 2013-2016 EVD epidemic in West Africa, which resulted in more than 28,600 cases and over 11,300 deaths. This epidemic strengthened international scientific efforts to contain the virus and develop therapeutics and vaccines. Immunology studies in animal models and survivors, as well as clinical trials have been crucial to understand Ebola virus pathogenesis and host immune responses, which has supported vaccine development. This review discusses the major findings that have emerged from animal models, studies in survivors and vaccine clinical trials and explains how these investigations have helped in the search for a correlate of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Longet
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Mellors
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Miles W. Carroll
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Tipton
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
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Miao J, Chard LS, Wang Z, Wang Y. Syrian Hamster as an Animal Model for the Study on Infectious Diseases. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2329. [PMID: 31632404 PMCID: PMC6781508 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases still remain one of the biggest challenges for human health. In order to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and develop effective diagnostic tools, therapeutic agents, and preventive vaccines, a suitable animal model which can represent the characteristics of infectious is required. The Syrian hamster immune responses to infectious pathogens are similar to humans and as such, this model is advantageous for studying pathogenesis of infection including post-bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens, along with assessing the efficacy and interactions of medications and vaccines for those pathogens. This review summarizes the current status of Syrian hamster models and their use for understanding the underlying mechanisms of pathogen infection, in addition to their use as a drug discovery platform and provides a strong rationale for the selection of Syrian hamster as animal models in biomedical research. The challenges of using Syrian hamster as an alternative animal model for the research of infectious diseases are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxin Miao
- Department of Science and Technology, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Sino-British Research Center for Molecular Oncology, National Center for the International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, School of Basic Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Louisa S. Chard
- Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zhimin Wang
- Sino-British Research Center for Molecular Oncology, National Center for the International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, School of Basic Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yaohe Wang
- Sino-British Research Center for Molecular Oncology, National Center for the International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, School of Basic Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Cross RW, Fenton KA, Geisbert TW. Small animal models of filovirus disease: recent advances and future directions. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2018; 13:1027-1040. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1527827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert W. Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Karla A. Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas W. Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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10
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De novo assembly, annotation, and characterization of the whole brain transcriptome of male and female Syrian hamsters. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40472. [PMID: 28071753 PMCID: PMC5223125 DOI: 10.1038/srep40472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hamsters are an ideal animal model for a variety of biomedical research areas such as cancer, virology, circadian rhythms, and behavioural neuroscience. The use of hamsters has declined, however, most likely due to the dearth of genetic tools available for these animals. Our laboratory uses hamsters to study acute social stress, and we are beginning to investigate the genetic mechanisms subserving defeat-induced behavioural change. We have been limited, however, by the lack of genetic resources available for hamsters. In this study, we sequenced the brain transcriptome of male and female Syrian hamsters to generate the necessary resources to continue our research. We completed a de novo assembly and after assembly optimization, there were 113,329 transcripts representing 14,530 unique genes. This study is the first to characterize transcript expression in both female and male hamster brains and offers invaluable information to promote understanding of a host of important biomedical research questions for which hamsters are an excellent model.
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Rezza G, Ippolito G. Syrian Hamsters as a Small Animal Model for Emerging Infectious Diseases: Advances in Immunologic Methods. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 972:87-101. [PMID: 27722960 PMCID: PMC7121384 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2016_135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The use of small animal models for the study of infectious disease is critical for understanding disease progression and for developing prophylactic and therapeutic treatment options. For many diseases, Syrian golden hamsters have emerged as an ideal animal model due to their low cost, small size, ease of handling, and ability to accurately reflect disease progression in humans. Despite the increasing use and popularity of hamsters, there remains a lack of available reagents for studying hamster immune responses. Without suitable reagents for assessing immune responses, researchers are left to examine clinical signs and disease pathology. This becomes an issue for the development of vaccine and treatment options where characterizing the type of immune response generated is critical for understanding protection from disease. Despite the relative lack of reagents for use in hamsters, significant advances have been made recently with several hamster specific immunologic methods being developed. Here we discuss the progress of this development, with focus on classical methods used as well as more recent molecular methods. We outline what methods are currently available for use in hamsters and what is readily used as well as what limitations still exist and future perspectives of reagent and assay development for hamsters. This will provide valuable information to researchers who are deciding whether to use hamsters as an animal model.
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