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The Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta as an Important Model Organism in the Experimental Parasitology of the 21st Century. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121439. [PMID: 36558772 PMCID: PMC9784563 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta is a common parasite of the small intestine in rodents but it can also infect humans. Due to its characteristics and ease of maintenance in the laboratory, H. diminuta is also an important model species in studies of cestodiasis, including the search for new drugs, treatments, diagnostics and biochemical processes, as well as its host-parasite interrelationships. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the immune response caused by H. diminuta in the host, and several studies indicate that infection with H. diminuta can reduce the severity of concomitant disease. Here, we present a critical review of the experimental research conducted with the use of H. diminuta as a model organism for over more than two decades (in the 21st century). The present review evaluates the tapeworm H. diminuta as a model organism for studying the molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology aspects of parasitology, as well as certain clinical applications. It also systematizes the latest research on this species. Its findings may contribute to a better understanding of the biology of tapeworms and their adaptation to parasitism, including complex correlations between H. diminuta and invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. It places particular emphasis on its value for the further development of modern experimental parasitology.
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Arai T, Lopes F. Potential of human helminth therapy for resolution of inflammatory bowel disease: The future ahead. Exp Parasitol 2021; 232:108189. [PMID: 34848244 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2021.108189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a dysregulated mucosal immune response in the gastrointestinal tract. The number of patients with IBD has increased worldwide, especially in highly industrialized western societies. The population of patients with IBD in North America is forecasted to reach about four million by 2030; meanwhile, there is no definitive therapy for IBD. Current anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, or biological treatment may induce and maintain remission, but not all patients respond to these treatments. Recent studies explored parasitic helminths as a novel modality of therapy due to their potent immunoregulatory properties in humans. Research using IBD animal models infected with a helminth or administered helminth-derived products such as excretory-secretory products has been promising, and helminth-microbiota interactions exert their anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the host immunity. Recent studies also indicate that evidence that helminth-derived metabolites may play a role in anticolitic effects. Thus, the helminth shows a potential benefit for treatment against IBD. Here we review the current feasibility of "helminth therapy" from the laboratory for application in IBD management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshio Arai
- Institution of Parasitology, McGill University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Gastroenterology, Hashimoto Municipal Hospital, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Fernando Lopes
- Institution of Parasitology, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
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Li S, Rajeev S, Wang A, McKay DM. Infection with Hymenolepis diminuta Blocks Colitis and Hastens Recovery While Colitis Has Minimal Impact on Expulsion of the Cestode from the Mouse Host. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080994. [PMID: 34451458 PMCID: PMC8401575 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Two experimental paradigms were adopted to explore host-helminth interactions involved in the regulation of colitis and to understand if colitis affects the outcome of helminth infection. First, male BALB/c mice infected with H. diminuta were challenged 4 days later with dinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (DNBS) and necropsied 3 days later. Second, mice were infected with H. diminuta 3 days after DNBS treatment and necropsied 11 or 14 days post-DNBS. Mice were assessed for colitic disease severity and infectivity with H. diminuta upon necropsy. Supporting the concept of helminth therapy, mice are protected from DNBS-colitis when infected with H. diminuta only 4 days previously, along with parallel increases in splenic production of Th2 cytokines. In the treatment regimen, H. diminuta infection produced a subtle, statistically significant, enhanced recovery from DNBS. Mice regained body weight quicker, had normalized colon lengths, and showed no overt signs of disease, in comparison to the DNBS-only mice, some of which displayed signs of mild disease at 14 days post-DNBS. Unexpectedly, colitis did not affect the hosts' anti-worm response. The impact of inflammatory disease on helminth infection is deserving of study in a variety of models as auto-inflammatory diseases emerge in world regions where parasitic helminths are endemic.
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Long SR, Liu RD, Kumar DV, Wang ZQ, Su CW. Immune Protection of a Helminth Protein in the DSS-Induced Colitis Model in Mice. Front Immunol 2021; 12:664998. [PMID: 33995396 PMCID: PMC8117093 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.664998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk of colorectal cancer, and it has the potential to diminish the quality of life. Recent clinical and experimental evidence demonstrate protective aspects of parasitic helminth infection against IBD. Reports have highlighted the potential use of helminths and their byproducts as potential treatment for IBD. In the current study, we studied the effect of a newborn larvae-specific serine protease from Trichinella spiralis (TsSp) on the host immune and inflammatory responses. A 49-kDa recombinant TsSp (rTsSp) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified. The cytotoxicity of rTsSp was analyzed. The immune protective effect of rTsSp was studied by using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model. The result illustrated that rTsSp has no toxic effects on cells. We further demonstrated that administration of the rTsSp without the additional adjuvant before the induction of DSS-induced colitis reduced the severity of intestinal inflammation and the disease index; it suppressed macrophage infiltration, reduced TNF-α secretion, and induced IL-10 expression. Our findings suggest therapeutic potential of rTsSp on colitis by altering the effect of macrophages. Data also suggest immunotherapy with rTsSp holds promise for use as an additional strategy to positively modulate inflammatory processes involved in IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao Rong Long
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Ruo Dan Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Deepak Vijaya Kumar
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Zhong Quan Wang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chien-Wen Su
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Sauer S, Beinart D, Finn SMB, Kumar SL, Cheng Q, Hwang SE, Parker W, Devi GR. Hymenolepis diminuta-based helminth therapy in C3(1)-TAg mice does not alter breast tumor onset or progression. EVOLUTION MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 9:131-138. [PMID: 33738103 PMCID: PMC7953836 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background and objectives An individual's risk of breast cancer is profoundly affected by evolutionary mismatch. Mismatches in Western society known to increase the risk of breast cancer include a sedentary lifestyle and reproductive factors. Biota alteration, characterized by a loss of biodiversity from the ecosystem of the human body as a result of Western society, is a mismatch known to increase the risk of a variety of inflammation-related diseases, including colitis-associated colon cancer. However, the effect of biota alteration on breast cancer has not been evaluated. Methodology In this study, we utilized the C3(1)-TAg mouse model of breast cancer to evaluate the role of biota alteration in the development of breast cancer. This model has been used to recapitulate the role of exercise and pregnancy in reducing the risk of breast cancer. C3(1)-TAg mice were treated with Hymenolepis diminuta, a benign helminth that has been shown to reverse the effects of biota alteration in animal models. Results No effect of the helminth H. diminuta was observed. Neither the latency nor tumor growth was affected by the therapy, and no significant effects on tumor transcriptome were observed based on RNAseq analysis. Conclusions and implications These findings suggest that biota alteration, although known to affect a variety of Western-associated diseases, might not be a significant factor in the high rate of breast cancer observed in Western societies. Lay summary An almost complete loss of intestinal worms in high-income countries has led to increases in allergic disorders, autoimmune conditions, and perhaps colon cancer. However, in this study, results using laboratory mice suggest that loss of intestinal worms might not be associated with breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Sauer
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Dylan Beinart
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sade M B Finn
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sereena L Kumar
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Qing Cheng
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Shelley E Hwang
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - William Parker
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Gayathri R Devi
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Smyth K, Morton C, Mathew A, Karuturi S, Haley C, Zhang M, Holzknecht ZE, Swanson C, Lin SS, Parker W. Production and Use of Hymenolepis diminuta Cysticercoids as Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutics. J Clin Med 2017; 6:jcm6100098. [PMID: 29064448 PMCID: PMC5664013 DOI: 10.3390/jcm6100098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminthic therapy has shown considerable promise as a means of alleviating some inflammatory diseases that have proven resistant to pharmaceutical intervention. However, research in the field has been limited by a lack of availability to clinician scientists of a helminth that is relatively benign, non-communicable, affordable, and effectively treats disease. Previous socio-medical studies have found that some individuals self-treating with helminths to alleviate various diseases are using the rat tapeworm (cysticercoid developmental stage of Hymenolepis diminuta; HDC). In this study, we describe the production and use of HDCs in a manner that is based on reports from individuals self-treating with helminths, individuals producing helminths for self-treatment, and physicians monitoring patients that are self-treating. The helminth may fit the criteria needed by clinical scientists for clinical trials, and the methodology is apparently feasible for any medical center to reproduce. It is hoped that future clinical trials using this organism may shed light on the potential for helminthic therapy to alleviate inflammatory diseases. Further, it is hoped that studies with HDCs may provide a stepping stone toward population-wide restoration of the biota of the human body, potentially reversing the inflammatory consequences of biota depletion that currently affect Western society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra Smyth
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Claire Morton
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Amanda Mathew
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Sahil Karuturi
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Cliff Haley
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Zoie E Holzknecht
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Chelsea Swanson
- The Duke Brain Imaging & Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
- Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center for Post Deployment Mental Health, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Shu S Lin
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - William Parker
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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